PRINCETON,     N.    J. 
ShelJ A'umber 


/  ■' 


THE 


Parables  of  Our  Lord 


EXPLAINED  AND  APPLIED. 


BY  THE  EEV.  EEANCIS  BOUEDILLON,  IM.  k. 

IJECTOU  OF  WOOLBEDING,   SUSSEX. 


'fS 


PUBLISHED   BY   THE 
AMERICAN   TEACT   SOCIETY, 

150  NASSAU-STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


'S\ 


1' 


I^REFACE. 


,  ,.^HE  aim  of  tbis  work  is  not  critical  elu- 
cidation,  but  simple,  practical  explaiia- 


n  tioii  and  application.  The  chapters  arc 
^  intended  to  be  read,  either  privateh',  or  in 
any  of  the  various  "ways  in  ■which  plain 
family  sermons  are  found  to  be  useful.  In  each 
parable  the  main  scope  has  been  regarded,  rather 
than  those  more  minute  points,  which,  in  many 
eases  at  least,  must  be  looked  on  as  mere  accesso- 
ries; nor  has  the  author  gone  into  those  refine- 
ments of  application  in  which  an  ingenious  fancy 
is  apt  to  indulge,  but  which  often  tend  to  draw 
away  the  mind  from  the  great  lesson  intended  to 
be  taught.  Long  words  and  involved  sentences 
have  been  avoided,  and  the  author's  aim  has  been 
to  use  "  great  plainness  of  speech,"  in  the  earnest 
hope  that  the  book  maj-  be  of  use  to  the  poor  and 
unlearned,  as  Avell  as  to  those  of  more  cultivated 
minds.  And.  now  he  sends  it  forth  with  the  hum- 
ble prayer  that  it  may  be  blessed  by  God  for  the 


4  PEEFACE. 

setting  forth  of  the  teaching  of  our  Lord,  and  for 
the  extension  of  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

The  words,  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  Kke,"  or 
similar  words,  are  found  at  the  beginning  of  a  large 
number  of  the  parables ;  and  if  this  work  were  to 
be  read  through  continuously^  it  might  have  been 
enough  to  explain,  once  for  all,  what  those  Avords 
mean.  But  as  each  chapter  is  meant  to  be  read 
by  itself,  and  independently  of  the  rest,  it  has  been 
thought  necessary  to  give  a  short  exjjlanation  of 
these  words  almost  as  often  as  they  occur.  Occa- 
sional repetitions  will  therefore  be  noticed,  for 
which  allowance  is  asked  on  the  ground  just  stated. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  parables  have  been  ar- 
ranged in  the  order  in  Avhich  they  may  be  believed 
to  have  been  spoken ;  not,  however,  without  excep- 
tion, when  there  seemed  any  good  reason  for  de- 
parting from  this  plan.  Indeed,  strict  accuracy  in 
this  respect  is  not  attainable,  nor  is  it  of  any  great 
moment. 


CONTKNTS. 


j>f 


Introduction'.  The  Nutuve  and  Design  of  our  Lord's  Para- 

l)leS - PAGE         7 

I.  Fields  White  to  the  Harvest 13 

II.  The  House  on  the  Eock,  and  the  House  on  thu  Sand-  i!0 

III.  The  Two  Debtoi-s •  - - -  27 

IV.  The  Foolish  Ptich  Man -  3.') 

V.  Serwints  Waiting  for  their  Lord — ■12 

VL  The  Unfruitful  Fig-tree '.1 

VII.  The  Sower  ;  in  four  parts  : 

1.  The  Seed  that  Fell  by  the  Wayside - ',1 

2.  The  Seed  that  Fell  on  Stony  Ground O:'. 

3.  The  Seed  that  Fell  among  Thorns G7 

4.  The  Seed  that  Fell  on  Good  Ground I'.i 

VIII.  The  Tares  of  the  Field -  - 79 

IX.  The  Soi-d,  the  Blade,  and  the  Ear  -  - 8-3 

X.  The  Grain  of  ilustard  Seed - -  -     92 

XL  The  Leavon  in  the  Meal 98 

XII.  The  Hidden  Treasure - -  -  -  101 

XIIL  The  Pearl  of  Great  Price-  - 109 

XIV.  The  Gospel  Net -- 114 

XV.  Tlie  New  Cloth,  and  the  New  Wine 118 

XVL  True  Defilement 125 

XVII.  The  Blind  Leading  the  Blind  -  -  - - 130 

XVIIL  The  Unforgiving  Servant - --  135 

XIX.  The  Good  Samaritan 142 

XX.  The  Importunate  Prayer    - 150 

XXL  The  Father's  Gift 15ti 

XXIL  Christ,  the  Door - l<"-i 


fi  CONTENTS. 

XXIII.  The  Good  Shepherd page  170 

I,,    XXIV.  The  Strait  Gate,  aud  the  Shut  Door - 178 

XXV.  The  Guest  who  Chose  the  Chief  Eooms -  -  18(3 

XXVI.  The  Great  Supper -- - 192 

■^    XXVII.  The  Man  without  a  Wedding  Garment 203 

■       XXVIII.  The  Tower-Builder - 208 

V'    XXIX.  The  Lost  Sheep,  and  the  Lost  Piece  of  Silver 213 

XXX.  The  Prodigal  Son 221 

XXXI.  The  Unjust  Steward - 22!) 

XXXII.  The  Eich  Man  and  Lazarus 239 

XXXIIL  The  Unjust  Judge 248 

XXXIV.  The  Pharisee  and  the  Publican 253 

XXXV.  The  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard 259 

XXXVI.  The  Pounds - 269 

J     XXXVIL  The  Talents - 278 

XXXVIII.  The  Two  Sous 2SG 

XXXIX.  The  Wicked  Husbandmen 290 

XL..  The  Budding  Fig-tree - 298 

XLI.  The  Wise  and  Foolish  Virgins 30 ! 

XLII.  The  Vine  aiad  the  Branches 310 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  Nature  and  Design  of  our  Lord's 

^ARABLES. 

Our  Lord  taught  mucli  in  parables;  and  many 
of  his  most  important  and  solemn  lessons  arc  in 
this  form.  There  is,  however,  considerable  differ- 
ence of  o])inion  as  to  what  is  a  parable  and  Avhat 
is  not;  and  some  who  take  the  stricter  view  would 
confine  the  parables  oi  our  Lord  to  a  comparatively 
small  number.  The  author  of  this  work  has  gone 
on  a  wider  principle,  and  has  considered  as  parables 
all  those  parts  of  our  Lord's  teaching  in  which  reli- 
gious lessons  are  conveyed  under  the  form  of  a  his- 
tory, a  tale,  or  a  similitude ;  excluding,  however, 
those  similitudes  which  are  mere  figures  of  speech 
or  illustrations.  It  is  difficult  to  draw  the  line  ex- 
actly. He  has  preferred  the  wider  principle,  as 
furnishing  a  greater  variety  of  spiritual  truth,  and 
as  giving  a  more  comprehensive  view  of  the  figura- 
tive teaching  of  our  Lord. 

The  reason  for  which  our  Lord  made  use  of  this 
way  of  teaching  seems  to  have  been  twofold. 

First,  his  hearers  were  accustomed  to  figurative 
speaking,  for  it  was  much  in  use  at  that  time,  and 
in  that  part  of  the  world.  They  would  therefore  be 
more  likely  to   l)e  attracted  by  it  than   by  direct 


8  THE   PARABLES   OF  OUR  LORD. 

instniction.  Indeed,  in  many  cases  a  truth  is  more 
easily  understood  by  people  in  general  wlien  set 
forth  by  means  of  a  simple  figure.  And  perhaps 
in  all  cases  a  figure  or  parable,  when  once  its  spir- 
itual meaning  and  application  are  perceived,  greatly 
helps  the  memory  to  retain  the  lesson,  and  tends 
also  to  fix  the  impression  on  the  heart.  One  rea- 
son, therefore,  why  our  Lord  taught  by  parables 
was,  that  he  might  dj;aw  attention,  and  be  more 
easily  understood,  and  that  his  teaching  might 
make  a  more  lasting  impression. 

But  this  was  not  all.  There  Avas  a  second,  and, 
as  would  seem  at  first  sight,  a  contradictory  rea- 
son. But  it  was  not  contradictory  really ;  nothing 
that  our  Lord  did  or  said  was  so.  If  he  used  par- 
ables in  part  to  make  his  teaching  more  interest- 
ing and  plain,  he  certainly  did  so  also  to  veil  or 

^  concccdjiis,  jueaning.  This  we  learn  from  his  own 
words.  When  he  had  ended  the  parable  of  the 
sower,  which  was  spoken  to  the  multitude  at  large, 
his  disciples  said  to  him :  "  Why  speakest  thou 
unto  them  in  parables?"  His  answer  was  in  these 
words :  "  Because  it  is  given  unto  you  to  know  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  fJtcm  it 
is  not  given.  For  whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  be 
given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundance  :  but  who- 
soever hath  not,  from  him  shall  be  taken  away  even 
that  he  hath.     Therefore  speak  I  to  them  in  para- 

y  bles,  because  they  seeing  see  not ;  and  hearing  they 
hear  not,  neither  do  they  understand.  And  in  them 
is  fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Esaias,  which  saith.  By 
hearing  ye  shall  hear,  and  shall  not  understand ; 
and  seeing  ye  shall  see,  and  shall  not  perceive  :  for 
this  people's  heart  is  waxed  gross,  and  their  ears 


INTllODUCTION.  9 

are  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they  have  closed ; 
lest  at  any  time  they  should  see  with  their  eyes, 
and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  should  understand 
with  their  heart,  and  should  be  converted,  and  I 
should  heal  them."  In  St.  Mark  the  words  are 
given  yet  more  strongly :  "  That  seeing  they  may 
see,  and  not  perceive  ;  and  hearing  they  may  hear, 
and  not  understand;  lest  at  any  time  they  should 
be  converted,  and  their  sins  should  be  forgiven 
them."  And  the  passage  in  St.  Luke  is  in  the 
same  form :  "  That  seeing  they  might  not  see,  and 
hearing  they  might  not  understand." 

Having  given  this  answer,  our  Lord  went  on  to 
explain  the  parable  fully  to  his  disciples ;  not  how- 
ever without  a  gentle  rebuke,  as  if  ilivy  too  were  in 
a  measure  gross  in  heart  and  dull  of  hearing: 
"  Know  ye  not  this  parable  ?  and  how  then  will  ye 
know  all  parables  ?" 

Our  Lord,  therefore,  in  this  and  other  parables, 
concealed  the  meaning  from  some,  while  he  ex- 
plained it  to  others.  To  the  former,  the  parable 
Avas  a  mere  tale  or  figure,  the  spiritual  meaning 
being  hidden  ;  to  the  latter,  the  meaning  was  made 
known,  and  the  lesson  was  all  the  more  deeply 
impressed  on  their  minds  from  being  taught  by 
way  of  parable. 

But  who  were  these  last?  The  disciples.  All 
who  really  wished  to  learn  were  taught  plainly. 
Not  only  the  twelve  apostles,  but  the  far  larger 
number  of  the  disciples ;  for  this  number  comprised 
those  who  had  joined  themselves  to  our  Lord,  and 
placed  themselves  under  his  teaching:  the  very 
word  means  learners  or  pupils.  Now  our  Lord 
never  turned  away  any  who  wished  to  become  his 

1* 


10         THE  PARABLES   OF   OUIl  LORD. 

disciples.  "  Him  that  cometli  to  me,"  said  he,  "  I 
Avill  ill  no  wise  cast  out."  On  the  contrary,  he 
invited  all  to  come  and  learn  of  him  :  "  Come  unto 
me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon  j'ou,  and  learn 
of  me."  "  Learn  of  me  ;"  it  is  the  very  same  word 
as  disciples ;  learn  of  me,  become  my  learners  or 
disciples. 

None,  therefore,  were  shut  oat  from  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth  but  by  their  own  fault.  If  any  one 
from  among  the  multitude  who  heard  the  parable 
of  the  sower,  for  instance,  had  come  liumblj^  to 
Jesus  as  a  disciple  or  learner,  seeking  instruction, 
doubtless  he  would  have  received  it.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  parable  would  not  have  been  kept  hid- 
den from  him.  He  would  at  once  have  become  one 
of  those  of  whom  our  Lord  said  :  "  Blessed  are  your 
eyes,  for  they  see ;  and  your  ears,  for  they  hear." 
It  was  because  the  people  did  not  do  this  that  they 
remained  in  ignorance.  They  were  like  those  of 
whom  the  prophet  spoke.  Their  heart  was  gross, 
and  their  ears  dull  of  hearing,  and  their  eyes  they 
had  closed.  They  did  not  seek,  and  therefore  they 
did  not  find.  Some  things  ind(;ed  our  Lord  said 
so  plainly  that  all  who  heard  them  could  under- 
stand them;  and  often  what  he  said  seemed  to 
make  a  general  impression.  On  one  occasion,  just 
after  he  had  spoken  one  of  the  parables,  "  the  peo- 
ple," Ave  read,  "  Avere  astonished  at  his  doctrine,  for 
he  taught  them  a.s  one  having  authority,  and  not  as 
the  scribes."  But  few  Avere  so  much  impressed  as 
to  become  his  disciples  and  to  seek  farther  instruc- 
tion. The  multitude  remained  the  maltitude  still ; 
the  disciples  Averc  still  but  a  fcAV,  though  doubtless 


INTEODUCTION.  11 

some  did  from  time  to  time  join  themselves  to  the 
number. 

The  words,  "Whosoever  hath,  to  him  shall  l)e 
given,  and  he  shall  have  more  abundance,"  throw 
great  light  on  the  subject.  Whosoever  hath  in  him, 
through  grace,  the  beginning  of  true  religion,  an 
awakened  conscience,  a  desire  for  spiritual  instruc- 
tion, a  spirit  of  sincere  inquir}-,  to  him  shall  be  given. 
That  light  and  knowledge  of  which  he  stands  in 
need  shall  not  be  withheld  from  him.  He  shall 
receive,  and  receive  abundanth'.  The  word  of  God 
will  not  be  a  dark  word  to  him.  The  more  he 
searches,  the  naore  will  he  find.  God  himself  will 
teach  him. 

This  applies  as  much  to  us  as  to  those  who 
heard  our  Lord.  AVhat  are  we  with  regard  to  his 
teaching?  Are  we  disciple-^,  or  are  we  only  of  the 
mnltitiide  ?  If  we  are  careless  about  spiritual  things, 
or  if  we  hear  or  read  the  word  of  God  merely  as  a 
matter  of  form  or  custom,  or  only  because  the  miud 
is  interested  in  it,  as  distinguished  from  the  heart, 
then  sve  are  like  the  multitude  who  heard  our  Lord's 
parables.  Even  though  the  word  may  reach  the 
understanding,  there  is  no  spiritual  impression  made 
on  the  heart.  In  this  state  we  are  little  hkeiy  to 
receive  a  blessing.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  we 
place  ourselves  as  learners  at  our  Saviour's  fei;!, 
and  come  to  the  word  of  God  with  an  earnest  de- 
sire to  be  taught,  then  Ave  are  disciples,  as  much  as 
they  Avho  went  about  with  him  from  place  to  place 
to  hear  his  words  ;  then  he  reckons  us  among  those 
who  take  his  yoke  upon  them,  and  learn  of  him ; 
and  he  will  bless  us,  and  teach  us,  and  give  us  the 
light  of  his  truth  in  "  more  abundance.''     Let  us 


12    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

be  disciples  indeed.  Let  ns  be  humble  and  dili- 
gent learners  of  Christ  our  Lord.  We  cannot  go 
about  with  him  from  place  to  place,  but  he  has  left 
us  his  word  and  the  means  of  grace,  and  has  prom- 
ised us  the  Holy  Spirit.  Let  us  make  full  use  of 
all  that  he  has  given. 

The  parables  of  our  Lord  differ  greatly  from  one 
another.  Some  are  short  and  plain,  others  much 
longer  and  more  difficult.  Some  teach  a  simple 
moral  lesson,  others  a  deep  spiritual  truth.  A  large 
number  of  them  relate  to  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
or  "the  kingdom  of  God."  These  form  a  class  by 
themselves.  They  represent  to  us  God's  govern- 
ment on  earth  under  the  gospel  in  a  great  variety 
of  points.  They  show  Avhat  takes  place  now,  and 
what  is  to  take  place  hereafter.  They  set  forth  the 
first  beginning  of  the  gospel  on  the  earth,  its  spread, 
its  hinderances,  its  success,  and  what  will  happen 
at  the  end.  They  show  how  God  deals  with  men 
under  the  gospel  dispensation,  and  how  men  receive 
the  message  of  salvation,  and  how  they  act  with 
regard  to  the  Saviour.  They  declare  very  solemnly 
what  will  take  place  at  the  end  of  the  M'orld,  the 
close  of  the  present  dispensation.  This  class  of 
our  Lord's  parables,  therefore,  is  most  solemn  and 
important ;  and  perhaps  it  is  to  this  class  especially 
that  the  distinction  betvreen  "the  multitude"  and 
"the  disciples"  applies.  Let  us  give  Earnest  heed 
to  them.  In  causing  us  to  live  in  gospel  times  and 
in  a  Christian  land,  God  has  given  us  a  deep,  per- 
sonal concern  in  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  There 
is  not  a  parable  on  this  subject  that  does  not  con- 
tain some  lesson  of  vital  consequence  to  us. 


THE 


PxVllABLES  OF  OUR  LOUD. 


I. 

fiELDS    White   to   the   j^arvest. 

"Hay  uot  ye,  There  are  yet  four  mouths,  and  then  conieth  har- 
vest? behold,':  say  unto  you,  Lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the 
fields  ;  for  they  are  -ft-hite  already  to  harvest.  And  he  that  reai)eth 
rcceiveth  wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eternal :  that  both 
he  that  soweth  and  he  that  reapcth  may  rejoice  together.  And 
hereiu  is  that  saying  true.  One  soweth,  and  another  reapeth.  I 
sent  you  to  reap  that  whereon  ye  bestowed  no  labor  :  other  men 
labored,  and  ye  are  entered  into  their  labors."    John  i  :  3.3-38. 

'HIS  sliort  parable  was  spoken  by  our 

Lord  to  his  disciples  just  after  Lis  con- 

rersation  with  the  Avoman  of  Saraaria,  and 

diile  she  was  gone  into  the  city  to  tell 

le   people    of  the   wonderful   things  she 

had  heard. 

It  was  winter  time,  answering  perhaps  to  our 
November  or  December,  for  it  wanted  four  months 
to  harvest;  and  in  that  country  the  harvest  is  much 
earlier  than  with  us.     TIjc  fields  bore  no  appear- 


14         THE  PARxVBLES  OF  OUU  LORD. 

ance  of  harvest  yet ;  they  "were  not  even  green ;  the 
seed  was  probably  but  just  sown ;  for  four  months 
is  about  the  time  there  between  sowing  and  reap- 
ing. Every  one  knew  this.  So-  our  Lord  said, 
"  Say  not  ye,  There  are  yet  four  months,  and  then 
Cometh  harvest?"  But  then  he  added,  "Behold,  I 
say  unto  jou,  Lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the 
fields ;  for  they  are  Avhite  already  to  harvest." 
What  did  he  mean  ?  Did  not  the  very  appearance 
of  the  fields  contradict  his  Avords? 

He  meant  not  the  natural  harvest,  but  the  har- 
vest of  souls.  Li  the  natural  harvest  there  is  always 
a  time  of  waiting  between  sowing  and  reaping.  It 
is  so  generally  in  the  spiritual  harvest  too,  but  not 
alwaj's.  It  was  not  so  in  this  case.  Seed  had  been 
sown,  and  the  harvest  was  about  to  follow  direct!}', 
Jesus  had  spoken  to  the  woman  of  Samaria  the 
words  of  eternal  life,  and  she  had  received  them. 
And  now  she  had  gone  into  the  neighboring  city, 
to  tell  to  others  what  she  had  heard.  Jesus  knew 
Avhat  would  follow.  He  knew  that  the  Samaritans 
would  come  out  to  him  at  the  word  of  the  woman, 
and  hear  the  gospel  from  his  lips.  He  knew  that 
many  would  believe  on  hiin  for  the  saying  of  the 
woman,  "  He  told  me  all  that  ever  I  did ;"  and  many 
more  because  of  his  own  word.  No  sooner  did  they 
hear  his  word  than  they  believed  it.  No  sooner 
did  he  come  to  them,  than  they  received  him,  and 
begged  him  to  stay  with  them.  Here  was  indeed  a 
speedy  harvest.  Here  was  a  field  ripe  as  soon  as 
sown. 

Our  Lord  drew  the  attention  of  his  disciples  to 


FIELDS  WHITE   TO  THE   HAKVEST.     15 

this.  "Lift  up  your  03-08,"  said  he,  "and  look  on 
the  fiehls;  for  they  aro  white  already  to  harvest." 
They  ■\vcrc  to  observe  the  readiness  of  the  Samari- 
tans to  receive  the  gospel.  But  that  was  not  all. 
This  was  but  one  field  ;  there  Avere  other  fields 
equally  ripe  for  the  sickle.  The  disciples  were  to 
go  forth  to  their  Avork  of  preaching  the  gospel,  with 
the  encouraging  belief  that  souls  were  ready  to  hear 
and  to  believe.  They  were  to  take  what  happened 
among  the  Samaritans  as  a  sample  of  the  success 
which  would  follow  their  labors  among  other  peo- 
ple. There  was  great  need  of  the  gospel.  Souls 
Avere  perishing  for  lack  of  knowledge.  In  great 
numbers  there  Avas  a  Avork  of  preparation  already 
going  on.  From  among  both  Joavs  and  Gentiles 
many  Avould  hear  and  receive  the  Avord.  There  Avas 
a  great  field  for  the  disciples  to  labor  in,  and  there 
Avas  every  thing  to  encourage  them.  Let  them  put 
in  the  sickle  of  the  gospel,  and  gallier  in  souls  to 
Christ,  for  the  harvest  Avas  ripe. 

>  Other  men  had  labored  before  them — other 
teachers  had  prepared  men's  minds  for  the  gospel. 
The  ancient  prophets,  the  JeAvish  teachers,  John 
the  Baptist,  had  all  done  so.  And  noAV  the  disci- 
ples, the  preachers  of  the  gospel,  Avere  to  go  forth 
and  finish  Avluit  they  had  begun,  and  thus  to  enter 
into  their  labors.  "One  soweth,  and  another  rea[)- 
eth,"  Avas  a  proA'erb.  It  Avas  to  be  fulfilled  in  this 
case.  Those  other  teachers  had  soAvn  ;  the  preach- 
ers of  the  gospel  Avere  to  reap. 

The  fields  Avcre  Avhite  for  the  harvest  then,  and 
the  same  may  be  said  noAv.     The  greater  part  of 


16    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

the  world  is  still  without  the  gospel.  But  the  need 
of  the  gospel,  as  God's  appointed  instrument  for 
bringing  souls  to  him,  is  still  as  great  as  ever;  and 
in  every  part  of  the  heathen  world  there  are  some 
at  least  who  are  prepared  to  receive  it.  In  every 
quarter  of  the  world  there  are  now  openings  for  the 
gospel;  and  to  no  heathen  land  do  our  missiona- 
ries go  without  finding  some  to  welcome  their  mes- 
sage. 

The  field  is  wide  indeed.  The  heathen  and 
Mohammedans  together  are  reckoned  at  not  less 
than  seven  hundred  millions  in  number.  Here  and 
there  in  this  great  field  some  labor  has  been  be- 
stowed, some  seed  has  been  sown,  and  some  first- 
fruits  have  been  gathered  in — enough,  at  least,  to 
stir  up  and  encourage  the  sowers  and  the  reapers. 
In  some  parts  of  the  world  the  people  are  eagerly 
asking  for  the  word  of  life ;  in  others,  old  hinder- 
ances  are  being  broken  down  and  old  prejudices 
are  becoming  softened ;  while  others  have  not  yet 
been  reached  by  the  gospel  at  all.  True,  there  are 
many  hinderances  and  difficulties  still ;  j-et  never 
was  the  way  so  open,  never  did  the  fields  seem  so 
white  to  the  harvest. 

Our  Lord  bade  the  disciples  lift  up  their  eyes 
and  look  on  the  fields.  In  like  manner  he  would 
liave  his  disciples  now 'to  take  notice  of  and  care 
for  the  state  of  the  heathen  Avorld.  We  are  not  to 
be  indifferent  to  the  case  of  the  heathen.  We  are 
not  to  turn  away  our  eyes  from  them,  and  attend 
only  to  home  claims,  as  if  our  duty  Avere  confined 
to  them.     We  arc  to  lift  tip  our  eyes  and  look  on 


FIELDS  WHITE   TO  THE   HARVEST.     17 

other  fields,  on  other  lands  beside  our  own.  Wo 
are  to  care  for  souls  wherever  they  are  found. 
Though  far  off,  yet  the  heathen  are  our  neighbors 
in  the  sight  of  God.  We  must  not  pass  by  on  the 
other  side,  or  merely  come  and  look  at  them ;  wo 
must  look  and  help. 

For  the  disciples  were  not  only  to  lift  up  their 
eyes  and  look  on  the  fields;  they  were  to  go  in 
and  reap ;  they  were  to  carry  the  gospel  to  those 
who  were  thus  in  need  of  it,  and  ready  to  receive  it. 
Such  is  our  duty  too.  As  disciples  of  Christ,  we 
are  to  acquaint  ourselves  with  the  state  of  the  hea- 
then, to  take  an  interest  in  their  state,  to  pity  them, 
and  to  help  them. 

All  may  do  something.  At  harvest  time  there 
is  work  for  all.  One  reaps,  another  binds,  a  third 
loads  the  wagon.  Men,  women,  and  children  work 
together.  None  need  be  idle.  The  old,  whose 
reaping  days  are  over,  can  yet  help  to  gather  up 
what  is  left;  and  even  the  little  ones,  whose  work- 
iug  days  have  not  begun,  may  be  seen  at  harvest 
time  returning  from  the  field,  each  with  his  little 
bundle  of  gleanings.  So  it  is  in  the  spiritual  har- 
vest. The  missionary  who  crosses  the  sea  to  carry 
the  news  of  salvation  b}'  Jesus  Christ  to  some  dark 
land,  //e  is  the  chief  laborer  in  the  field,  the  reaper 
in  the  harvest.  But  those  who  stay  at  home  may 
be  fellow-workers  with  him.  The  preacher,  the 
speaker,  the  collector,  the  giver,  the  smallest  con- 
tributor, are  all  engaged  in  the  harvest  field,  each 
doing  something  in  the  great  work.  There  is  work 
for  all,  and  to  all  the  word  comes,  "Lift  up  your 


18    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields;  for  tliev  are  white 
already  to  harvest." 

The  reaper  works. for  wages;  and  the  laborer  in 
the  spiritual  harvest  has  his  reward  too.  Yes,  a 
reward — yet  not  of  works,  but  of  grace ;  a  gift,  not 
a  paj'ment.  But  it  will  surely  be  received ;  for  even 
a  cup  of  cold  water  given  for  Christ's  sake  shall  not 
go  without  a  reward. 

What  is  this  reward  ?  We  are  not  told  fully ; 
but  this  parable  throws  some  light  on  the  subject. 
Part  at  least  of  the  reward  will  be  joy  for  souls 
saved.  As  there  is  rejoicing  among  us  every  year 
at  harvest-home,  so  will  there  be  joy  at  the  great 
spiritual  harvest-home.  When  the  corn  is  all  gath- 
ered in,  and  the  last  load  has  been  brought  to  the 
barn,  then  the  Avages  are  paid,  and  all  rejoice  to- 
gether, master  and  men,  all  who  have  had  part  in 
the  harvest,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest.  So 
will  it  be  in  the  harvest  of  souls.  Even  now  there 
is  jo}'  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth. 
HoAv  great  will  be  the  joy  when  all  the  redeemed  of 
the  Lord  are  gathered  in  ! 

Haj)py  then  all  who  have  labored  for  God — 
every  sower,  every  reaper,  every  gleaner  in  the  field 
of  the  world.  What  joy  to  have  borne  a  part,  how- 
ever humble,  in  sncli  a  work,  and  now  to  see  the 
fruit!  What  happiness  to  meet  all  fellow-workers, 
and  rejoice  Avitii  them  !  No  jealousy  now,  no  sus- , 
picion  or  distrust,  no  cold  cooperation  or  doubting- 
sympathy.  Now  all  is  love  and  joy.  Now  he  who 
began  in  great  discouragement,  and  saw  but  little 
fruit,  meets  him  who  came  after  him,  and  brought 


FIELDS  WHITE  TO   THE   HARVEST.     19 

the  work  to  a  liappj  end.  Now  helpers  at  home, 
and  preachers  abroad,  and  those  who  have  prayed, 
and  thoee  who  have  given,  and  those  who  have 
spent  anxious  hours  in  the  cause — now  they  meet 
together  and  rejoice.  They  are  happy,  because  the 
Kedeemer  is  glorified— happy,  because  souls  are 
saved — happy,  because  it  has  been  their  honor  and 
blessing  to  bear  part  in  such  a  Avork.  Let  none 
who  know  the  preciousness  of  Christ  refuse  to  bear 
a  part,  and  thus  neglect  so  plain  a  duty,  so  blessed 
a  work,  and  lose  a  share  in  this  joyful  harvest- 
home. 


20    THE  PAYABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 


If. 


Thf:  House  on  the  ^ock,  and  the  House 
ON  THE  Sand. 

•'Therefore  whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and 
doeth  them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man,  which  built  his 
house  upon  a  rock :  and  the  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came, 
and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon  that  house  ;  and  it  fell  not : 
for  it  was  founded  upon  a  rock.  And  every  one  that  heareth 
these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth  them  not,  shall  be  likened  unto 
a  foolish  man,  which  built  his  hoiise  upon  the  sand  :  and  the  rain 
descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat 
upon  that  house;  and  it  fell:  and  great  was  the  fall  thereof.' 
Matt.  7  :  24-27  ;  see  also  Luke  G  :  47-49. 

^^^^^ 

"Yi^^y&^TJCK  a  tiling  might  happen  in  our  land  ; 
vtT^  but  it  was  much  more  likely  to  happen 

in  that  eastern  country,  in  Avhicli  our  Lord 

spoke  the  parable. 

For  that  part  of  the  world  is  more  liable 

to  sudden  storms  and  floods.  Generally  the 
climate  is  more  dry  than  ours,  and  many  of  the 
streams  are  quite  Avithout  water  in  the  summer; 
but  these  dry  water-courses  are  rapid  rivers  in  the 
winter,  and  even  at  other  seasons  a  change  in  the 
weather  may  suddenly  fill  them.  The  sky  becomes 
overcast,  the  rain  comes  down  in  torrents,  rivers 
overflow  their  banks,  and  spread  themselves  over 
the  country,  often  doing  great  damage. 

In  this  parable  our  Tjord  supposes  two  houses 


ON  THE  HOCK,  AND  ON  THE  SANU.  21 

to  be  built,  both  probably  near  a  stream.  The 
builder  of  tlie  one  "svas  a  Avise  man.  Knowing  that 
storms  and  floods  -svere  likely,  he  chose  the  firm 
rock  for  the  site  of  his  house,  and  there  he  du£r 
deep  for  a  foundation.  The  builder  of  the  other 
house  was  not  so  wise.  Ho  was  a  foolish  man.  A 
level  and  pleasant  situation  on  the  sand  presented 
itself,  and  there  he  built  his  house.  The  wcatlier, 
we  may  suppose,  was  fine  at  the  time;  the  sun 
shone,  the  air  was  calm,  the  neighboring  stream 
was  almost  dry — no  danger  threatened.  ^Vh}'  build 
on  the  hard  rock  when  the  sand  was  so  much  easier? 
Why  dig  into  the  ground  for  a  foundation,  Avhen 
the  house  on  that  level  surface  would  stand  so  Avell 
Avithout  one  ?  He  did  not  look  forAvard,  he  thought 
only  of  the  present.  He  made  no  provision  for 
dangers  that  might  come. 

They  did  come.  The  fine  season  passed  away, 
or  the  Aveather  suddenly  changed.  The  Avise  man 
had  foreseen  this,  and  prepared  for  it.  "The  rain 
descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  Avinds 
bleAA%  and  beat  upon  that  house;  and  it  fell  not." 
"  The  stream  beat  vehemently  upon  that  house, 
and  could  not  shake  it:  for  it  Avas  founded  on  a 
rock."  Meanwhile,  Iioav  did  the  other  house  fare '? 
"  The  rain  descended,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the 
Avinds  blcAV,  and  beat  upon  that  house ;  and  it  fell," 
*'  innnediately  it  (ell,"  "  and  great  Avas  the  fall  of  it." 

As  long  a,s  the  fine  Aveather  lasted,  one  house  ^ 
perhaps  looked  as  strong  and  safe  as  the  other.    It 
Avas  the  storm  that  tried  them.     Then  Avas  seen  the 
difference.     The  house  on  the  rock  stood  it  well; 


22         THE  PARABLES   OF   OUll  LOKD. 

and  Avlien  tlie  tempest  was  past,  and  tlie  floods  had 
gone  down,  tliere  it  stood,  upviglit  and  safe.  Not 
so  the  house  on  the  sand.  The  same  storm  burst 
on  it,  the  same  winds  blew,  and  the  same  torrent 
beat  against  it.  "When  all  w-as  past,  where  was  the 
house  ?  Gone,  swept  away ;  nothing  left  but  wreck 
and  ruin.  A  foolish  man,  indeed;  a  fair-weather 
builder.  "What  is  a  house  worth  that  Avill  not  stand 
a  storm?  for  storms  are  sure  to  come. 

The  wisdom  of  the  one  man  and  the  folly  of  the 
other  in  this  story  are  plain  enough.  But  this  is 
more  than  a  story ;  it  is  a  parable,  a  story  with  a 
spiritual  meaning.  We  shall  see  wisdom  and  folly 
still  more  strikingly  set  forth  in  the  application 
than  in  the  stor}'. 

Our  Lord  does  not,  as  he  does  in  some  cases, 
•  explain  this  parable  at  large.  Yet  he  shows  us 
how  to  understand  it  by  what  he  says  about  the 
two  men.  By  the  wise  man  he  represents  "who- 
soever heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doetli 
them ;"  by  the  foolish  man,  "  every  one  that  hear- 
eth these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doetli  them  not." 
This  distinction  is  exactlj'  the  same  as  that  con- 
tained in  the  words  of  St.  James,  "  Be  ye  doers  of 
the  word,  and  not  hearers  onl}-,  deceiving  your  oavii 
selves." 

But  let  none  siippose  that  salvation  by  works  is 
here  taught.  The  contrast  in  this  parable  is  not 
between  grace  and  works,  but  between  merely  hear- 
ing the  word  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other 
believing,  receiving,  embracing  it,  and  taking  it  as 
the  guide  of  lif(\      This  last  is  called  .doing  the 


ON  THE  HOCK,  ANL>  ON  THE  SAND.  23 

word.     Let  us  look  a  little  more  closely  at  both 
ways. 

I.  The  uuiu  Avho  is  a  hearer  only,  hears  the 
word,' but  it  makes  no  impression  on  his  heart. 
He  may  hear  it  regularly,  and  even  take  pleasure 
in  hearing  it;  but  he  hears  it  oiLhj.  He  hears  it, 
not  so  much  to  learn  from  it,  to  receive  good  from 
it,  to  be  guided  by  it,  as  to  be  interested  and 
pleased.  No  wonder  then,  that  it  makes  no  change 
in  his  heart  or  life,  that  he  is  the  same  man  after 
hearinc;  it  as  he  was  before.  He  hears  the  word, 
and  then  he  has  done  with  it.  There  is  nothing 
more  of  it  till  he  hears  it  again. 

Our  Lord  had  many  such  hearers.  Of  the  great 
multitudes  who  flocked  to  hear  him  from  all  parts 
of  the  country,  numbers  were  hearers  only,  mere 
professors  at  the  best,  crying,  "  Lord,  Lord !"  but 
not  doing  the  will  of  God,  nor  truly  embracing  the 
word. 

There  are  many  such  hearers  always.  Every 
congregation  has  them.  There  is  great  danger  of 
being  hearers  only,  great  danger  of  mistaking  hear- 
ing for  doing,  and  of  being  satisfied  with  being 
pleased  without  seeking  to  be  profited.  All  hear- 
ers should  look  well  to  it  that  they  be  not  hearers 
only.  Such  are  like  the  foolish  man,  builders  on 
the  sand,  builders  without  a  foundation.  Their 
building  will  not  stand.  Hearing  and  professing 
will  never  save. 

II.  The  doer  of  the  word  is  very  different.  His 
very  hearing  is  a  different  kind  of  hearing ;  for  ho 
hears  not  merely  to  bo  pleased,  but  in  order  that 


24         THE  PARABLES  OF  OUll  LOED. 

lie  may  learn  the  way  of  salvation  and  the  will  of 
God.  And  what  he  hears  he  humbly  receives,  be- 
lieves it,  feels  it,  and  strives  to  follow  and  to  prac- 
tise it.  He  has  not  done  with  the  word  when  it 
ceases  to  sound  in  his  ears.  It  is  both  food  and 
light  to  him.  He  remembers  it,  and  treasures  it 
up  in  his  mind  as  his  light  and  guide.  And,  just 
as  we  take  food  at  meal  times,  and  are  afterwards 
nourished  and  strengthened  by  what  we  have  taken, 
so  is  his  soul  fed  continually  by  the  word  of  God. 

But  there  is  a  peculiar  force  in  the  figures  liere 
used — the  rock  and  the  foundation.  Christ  is  the 
rock  of  our  salvation.  The  believer's  hope  is  built 
on  him  alone.  "  Other  foundation  can  no  man  lay 
than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ."  The  doer 
of  the  word  means,  therefore,  not  merely  a  man 
who  is  sincere  and  in  earnest  in  a  general  way,  but 
one  who  truly  believes  on  Jesus,  builds  every  hope 
on  him  alone,  and  strives  to  show  forth  in  his  life 
the  fruits  of  his  faith.  In  other  words,  the  doer  of 
the  word  is  a  true  and  sincere  Christian,  taught  by 
the  word  and  Spirit  of  God. 

The  mere  hearer  and  the  doer  may  make  the 
same  profession,  and  bear  in  the  eyes  of  men  much 
the  same  character,  as  long  as  the  day  of  trial  docs 
not  come.  As  the  two  houses  both  stood  firm  Avliilo 
fine  weather  lasted,  and  one  looked  as  safe  as  the 
other,  so  these  two  men  may,  to  those  who  do  not 
look  very  deep,  or  do  not  know  them  well,  seem  for 
a  time  much  alike.  But  when  the  storm  comes, 
how  is  it  then?  Ah,  then  the  difference  aj^pears. 
The  hearer  only  has  no  comfort  laid  up  against  the 


ON  THE  HOCK,  AND  ON  THE  SAND.  25 

day  of  trouble.  When  affliction  visits  bin),  he  knows 
not  whither  to  flee  for  relief.  AYhen  persecution 
arises,  he  is  little  likely  to  stand  firm,  for  he  has 
no  foundation.  If  errors  in  doctrine  spring  uy),  and 
he  becomes  exposed  to  false  teaching,  he  is  liable 
to  be  swept  away  hj  the  torrent,  because  he  has 
no  firm  hold  on  the  truth ;  it  has  not  reached  his 
heart,  he  is  not  rooted  and  built  up  in  Christ.  The 
doer  of  the  w^ord,  on  the  contrary,  knows  where  to 
seek  help  and  comfort  in  all  trouble  and  difficulty. 
To  him,  "  to  live  is  Christ."  Christ  is  his  life.  He 
is  joined  to  Christ  by  a  living  faith.  He  can  do 
all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth  him. 
He  does  not  expect  to  be  without  trial.  The  very 
word  which  he  has  heard  bids  him  look  for  it.  But 
he  meets  it  and  bears  it  in  his  Saviour's  strength. 
Thus  he  faces  persecution,  thus  he  meets  false  doc- 
trine. His  house  is  built  upou  a  rock;  it  has  a 
foundation;  it  will  stand  the  storm.  Christ  is  his 
rock. 

But  is  this  all?  Does  the  parable  point  to  no 
storms,  no  troubles,  but  such  as  these  ? 

There  is  a  fiercer  storm  coming,  a  greater  trial. 
"Every  man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest;  for  tlie 
day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  revealed  by 
fire ;  and  the  fire  shall  try  every  man's  work  of 
what  sort  it  is."  AYhat  day  is  here  meant?  The 
great  day,  the  day  of  the  Lord,  the  last  day,  the 
day  of  trial  and  of  judgment.  In  that  passage  the 
apostle  is  writing  especially  of  ministers;  but  his 
"words  may  Avell  be  applied  to  all.  For  that  day 
will  try  not  oidy  the  work  of  the  minister,  but  the 


2C)         THE  PAEABLES  OF   OUE  LOED. 

life  and  character  and  state  of  all.  A  different  fig- 
ure is  used  in  the  two  passages.  In  the  parable  it 
is  a  storm,  liere  it  is  a  fire ;  but  the  meaning  is 
much  the  same.  Every  man's  house,  his  spiritual 
building,  will  be  severely  tried,  tried  to  the  utter- 
most, as  by  storm  or  fire.  None  will  stand  then, 
but  those  who  are  built  upon  Christ.  No  prepara- 
tion for  eternity  will  prove  of  any  avail,  except  a 
true  and  living  faith  in  Jesus,  shown  forth  in  the 
fruits  of  holiness.  Religious  knowledge,  religious 
profession,  a  religious  name,  what  will  they  do  for 
the  soul  in  that  day?  Nothing.  Christ  will  then 
be  all.  They  who  are  in  him  will  be  safe,  but  none 
else.  All  besides  must  see  every  hope  fail  them, 
every  refuge  swept  away,  and  their  house  "brought 
to  desolation  "  indeed. 

How  does  your  house,  your  spiritual  building, 
stand  ?  Has  it  a  foundation  ?  Is  it  on  the  rock  ? 
Look  Avell  to  this  matter. 

If  you  feel  any  doubt,  begin  again  from  the 
very  bottom.  Take  the  house  all  down  and  build 
it  afresh,  rather  than  run  the  risk  of  its  being  swept 
awa}'.  It  will  be  too  late  to  make  it  safe  when  the 
storm  comes.  Now,  in  this  calm  and  quiet  season, 
now,  while  yet  you  may,  look  well  to  your  founda- 
tion. Make  sure  of  being  in  Christ  by  faith.  Do 
not  deceive  yourself.  Do  not  say  to  your  soul, 
"  Peace,  peace !"  when  there  is  no  peace.  Let  noth- 
ing satisfy  you  but  a  true  and  deep  foundation  in 
Christ,  the  Hock  of  Ages.  Thus  be  you  found  among 
the  wise,  among  those  who  are  doers  of  the  word, 
and  not  hearers  only,  deceiving  their  own  selves. 


THE   TWO  DEBTOrvS.  27 


IIF. 


The  Two   Debtors. 


"  Aud  one  of  the  Pharisees  desired  him  that  he  wonlu  eat  with 
him.  And  he  went  into  the  Pharisee's  house,  and  sat  down  to 
meat.  And,  behold,  a  woman  in  the  city,  which  M'as  a  sinner, 
when  she  knew  that  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  the  Phai-isee's  house, 
brought  an  ahibaster  box  of  ointment,  and  stood  at  his  feet  behind 
him  weeping,  and  began  to  wash  his  feet  with  tears,  and  did  wipe 
them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head,  and  kissed  liis  feet,  and  anointed 
them  with  the  ointment.  Now  when  the  Pharisee  which  had  bid- 
den him  saw  it,  he  spake  within  himself,  saying,  This  man,  if  he 
were  a  prophet,  would  have  known  who  and  what  manner  of 
woman  this  is  that  toucheth  him  :  for  she  is  a  sinner.  And 
Jesus  answering  said  iinto  him,  Simon,  I  have  somewhat  to  say 
unto  thee.  Aud  he  saith.  Master,  say  on.  There  was  a  certain 
creditor  which  had  two  deljtors  :  the" one  owed  five  hundred  pence, 
and  the  other  fifty.  Aud  when  they  had  nothing  to  pay,  he  frank- 
ly forgave  them  both.  Tell  me  therefore,  which  of  them  will  love 
him  most  ?  Simon  answered  and  said,  I  suppose  that  he  to  whom 
he  forgave  most.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Thou  hast  rightly 
judged.  And  he  turned  to  the  woman,  and  said  unto  Simon, 
Seest  thou  this  woman?  I  entered  into  thy  hoTise,  thou  gavest 
me  no  water  for  my  feet :  but  she  hath  washed  my  feet  with  tears, 
and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head.  Thou  gavest  me  no 
kiss  :  but  this  woman  since  the  time  I  came  iu  hath  not  ceased  to 
kiss  my  feet.  My  head  with  oil  thou  didst  not  anoint :  but  this 
woman  hath  anointed  my  feet  with  ointment.  Wherefore  I  say 
unto  thee,  Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven ;  for  she  loved 
much  :  but  to  whom  little  is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth  little.  And 
he  said  lanto  her,  Thy  sins  are  forgiven.  And  they  that  sat  at 
meat  with  him  began  to  say  within  themselves.  Who  is  this  that 
forgiveth  sins  also?  And  he  said  .to  the  woman,  Thy  faith  hath 
saved  thee  ;  go  in  peace."    Luke  7  :  3()-50. 


28    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

is./    E  know  nothing  of  this  Pharisee  be- 
yond his  name,  nor  do  we    know 
why  he  invited  Jesus  to  his  house. 

The  woman  some  have  thought  to 
have  been  Mary  Magdalene.  But  there 
seems  no  sufficient  reason  for  thinking  so.  Mary 
is  first  mentioned  in  the  following  chapter;  and 
there  she  is  spoken  of,  not  as  one  who  had  been  a 
great  sinner,  but  as  having  been  heavily  afflicted. 
This  woman,  on  the  other  hand,  had  been  of  known 
bad  character;  probably  living  on  the  wages  of  sin. 

But  she  Avas  now  greatly  changed.  Her  con- 
science had  been  touched.  She  had  been  brought 
to  true  sorrow  "or  sin,  and  to  a  belief  in  Jesus  as 
able  and  willing  to  forgive  her;  and  now,  hearing 
that  he  was  in  the  house  of  the  Pharisee,  she  came 
and  stood  at  his  feet  as  he  reclined  on  a  couch  at 
the  meal,  and  wept,  and  kissed  his  feet,  and  anoint- 
ed them  with  a  precious  ointment  which  she  had 
brought  with  her  for  the  jaurpose. 

The  Pharisee  saw  her,  and  knowing  her  charac- 
ter was  much  surprised — yet  less,  it  seems,  at  her 
coming,  than  at  Jesus'  letting  her  come.  He  did 
not,  however,  snj  any  thing,  but  only  thought  with- 
in himself.  "This  man,"  thought  he,  "if  he  were 
a  prophet,  would  have  known  who  and  what  man- 
ner of  woman  this  is  that  toucheth  him ;  for  she  is 
a  sinner."  From  this  it  ajipears  that  this  happened 
in  some  place  where  Jesus  Avas  a  stranger,  and  that 
the  Pharisee,  (as  might  be  supposed  from  his  invi- 
ting him,)  though  not  believing  in  him,  had  yet 


THE  TWO  DEBTOES.  29 

some  doubt  whether  he  were  not  a  true  prophet  or 
teacher.  But  what  he  uow  beheld  seemed  quite 
against  that.  If  he  were  really  a  prophet,  Avould 
he  not  have  known  by  his  prophetic  poAver  what 
kind  of  woman  this  Avas  ?  As  for  his  letting  such  a 
woman  come  near  him,  knowing  her  character,  even 
Avhen  she  came  in  tears  for  her  sins,  such  a  thought 
seems  not  to  have  entered  the  mind  of  the  Pharisee. 

He  did  not  speak  aloud,  but  Jesus-  knew  his 
thoughts,  and  answered  them  by  the  parable  of  the 
two  debtors,  addressing  him  personally  :  "Simon,  I 
have  somewhat  to  say  unto  thee."  At  the  close  of 
the  parable  he  asked  the  Pharisee  this  question : 
"Tell  me,  therefore,  which  of  them  will  love  him 
most?"  Simon's  answer  was  ready,  "I  suppose 
that  he  to  whom  he  forgave  most."  Our  Lord  ap- 
proved of  the  answer;  then  turning  to  the  woman, 
he  thus  continued,  still  speaking  to  Simon,  "  Seest 
thou  this  Avoman?  I  entered  into  thy  house,  thou 
gavest  me  no  Avater  for  my  feet:  but  she  hath 
Avashed  my  feet  Avith  tears,  and  Aviped  them  Avith 
the  hairs  of  her  head.  Thou  gavest  me  no  kiss : 
but  this  woman  since  the  time  I  came  in  hath  not 
ceased  to  kiss  my  feet.  -My  head  Avitli  oil  thou 
didst  not  anoint :  but  this  woman  hath  anointed  my 
feet.Avith  ointment.  Wherefore  I  say  unto  thee. 
Her  sins,  Avhich  are  many,  are  forgiven;  for  she 
loved  much:  but  to  Avhom  little  is  forgiven,  the 
same  loveth  little." 

Thus  did  our  Lord  explain  and  apply  the  para- 
ble. God,  even  Jesus  himself,  Avas  the  creditor. 
The  debtor  Avho  OAved  four  hundred  pence  Avas  the 


30    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

poor  sinful  woman,  her  sins  Avere  her  debt;  the 
debtor  Avho  owed  but  fifty  was  the  Pharisee  him- 
self, in  his  own  opinion  far  less  sinful  than  she,  and 
probabl}^  not  guilty  in  truth  of  sins  so  many  and  so 
gross.  In  the  parable  both  the  debtors  were  for- 
given, the  one  who  owed  much  and  the  one  who 
owed  little.  Neither  could  pay  any  thing;  both 
were  freely  and  fully  forgiven.  But  was  the  Phar- 
isee really  forgiven?  Our  Lord  did  indeed  first 
put  the  case  as  if  he  had  been ;  but  then  he  left  it 
to  him  and  to  us  to  judge  from  his  conduct  whether 
he  had  been  or  not. 

The  debtor  who  had  been  forgiven  much  would, 
in  Simon's  own  judgment,  love  more  than  he  who 
had  been  forgiven  but  little.  Following  this  out, 
one  to  whom  nothing  had  been  forgiven  would  not 
love  at  all.  Now,  how  had  these  two  persons,  the 
Pharisee  and  the  woman,  behaved  towards  our 
Lord  ?  The  Pharisee  had  shown  him  no  love  at 
all,  not  even  the  usual  civilities  of  a  host ;  the  wom- 
an, on  the  other  hand,  had  given  proof  of  the  most 
devoted  affection.  The  Pharisee  had  given  him  no 
water  for  his  feet,  a  common  attention  in  those 
countries;  had  not  welcomed  him,  as  was  usual, 
with  the  kiss  of  friendship ;  had  not  paid  him  the 
customary  honor  of  pouring  oil  upon  his  head. 
But  the  woman  had  supplied  this  neglect  in  a  most 
remarkable  manner.  She  had  washed  his  feet  with 
tears,  and  wiped  them  with  the  hairs  of  her  head ; 
she  had  humbled  herself  to  kiss  his  feet,  and  that 
repeatedly;  she  had  brought  a  mast  precious  oint- 
ment, far  more  costly  than  the  oil  commonly  used, 


THE   TWO  DEETOKS.  31 

and  with  it  she  had  anointed  not  his  head  but  his 
feet.  The  very  lowest  part  of  his  person  she  thought 
worthy  of  all  she  could  do  and  all  she  could  give. 

What  did  this  conduct,  so  opposite,  prove  ?  The 
Pharisee,  loving  so  little,  had  been  forgiven  little ; 
nay  rather,  showing  no  love  at  all,  could  have  re- 
ceived no  forgiveness.  The  woman,  on  the  other 
hand,  loving  so  much,  must  have  been  forgiven 
much.  If  Simon  had  sought  and  found  forgive- 
ness, he  could  not  have  shown  so  great  a  want  of 
love.  Because  the  woman  had  been  forgiven  much, 
therefore  she  loved  much.  Her  acts  of  love  were 
a  proof  that  she  was  forgiven. 

This  is  the  meaning  of  our  Lord's  words, 
"Wherefore  I  sa}^  unto  thee.  Her  sins,  which  are 
many,  are  forgiven;  for  she  loved  much."  Tliey  do 
not  mean  that  the  woman  was  forgiven  because  she 
loved,  but  that  she  loved  because  she  was  forgiven. 
First  she  Avas  forgiven,  and  then  she  loved.  She 
loved  because  she  believed  that  she  was  forgiven. 
Her  acts  of  love  were  thus  a  proof  of  her  forgive- 
ness. "  Her  sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven,  for 
she  loved  much."  It  was  to  Simon  that  our  Lord 
spoke  those  words ;  and  it  was  as  though  he  had 
said  to  him,  "Do  not  despise  this  woman,  or  won- 
der that  I  let  her  come  near  to  me  ;  do  not  suppose 
that  I  am  not  aware  who  and  what  she  is.  I  know 
her  well — far  better  than  you  do.  I  know  all  her 
^past  history.  I  know  her  present  feelings,  and  her 
present  state.  She  is  penitent.  She  is  foi-givcn. 
She  loves  me  because  I  have  forgiven  her.  You 
might  have  known  the  hai:)py  change  in  her  by  what 


32    THE  PARABLES  OF  CUE  LOKD. 

you  have  seen  lier  do.  You  have  seen  her  show  me 
every  proof  of  affection.  Nothmg  eoiild  have  made 
her  love  me  so  but  gratitude  for  sins  forgiven.  Her 
sins,  whicli  are  man}',  are  forgiven,  for  she  loved 
much." 

What  follows  shows  clearly  that  this  is  the 
meaning ;  for,  having  thus  spoken  to  Simon  of  the 
woman's  conduct,  he  now  exposes  to  him  his  own. 
"  But  to  whom  little  is  forgiven,  the  same  loveth 
little."  Did  the  Pharisee  feel  these  words  to  ap- 
ply to  himself?  Did  his  conscience  remind  him  of 
his  slighting  treatment  of  Jesus?  Did  he  see  in 
his  Avant  of  love  a  proof  that  he  was  not  forgiven  ? 
And  did  he  now  learn  his  need,  and  seek  and  find 
pardon?  We  do  not  know;  we  are  told  no  more 
about  him.  But  for  ourselves  the  lesson  is  plain. 
If  our  love  is  little,  then  we  have  been  forgiven  lit- 
tle. If  our  hearts  are  perfectly  cold  towards  Christ, 
and  we  feel  no  gratitude  and  love  to  him  at  all,  and 
are  seeking  to  do  nothing  for  him,  then  we  have  no 
proof  whatever  that  our  sins  are  pardoned. 

A  pardoned  sinnei*  loves  his  Saviour — not  in- 
deed as  he  wishes  to  love  ;  but  he  does  love  truly, 
and  the  very  sorrow  that  he  feels  for  the  coldness 
of  his  love,  and  his  earnest  desire  to  love  more, 
prove  that  he  does  love  in  sincerity.  Now  if  a  man 
has  nothing  of  this  love,  this  sorrow,  this  desire, 
how  can  he  have  received  forgiveness  ? 

Our  Lord  has  not  spoken  to  the  woman  herself 
3'et ;  but  now  he  turns  to  her,  and  in  the  presence 
of  all  declares  to  her  that  she  is  forgiven.  It  was 
her  hope,  her  trembling  belief  that  she  was  for- 


THE  TWO   DEBTORS.  33 

given,  that  made  her  love ;  now  that  hope  and  be- 
lief are  fully  confirmed:  "Thy  sins  are  forgiven." 
Could  she  want  more  than  to  hear  her  pardon  from 
the  Lord's  own  lips  ?  He  will  give  her  eVen  more. 
He  will  tell  her  how  it  was  that  she  had  received 
forgiveness.  He  will  send  her  away  in  peace.  For 
when  those  around  murmured,  then,  lest  an  unbe- 
lieving doubt  or  fear  should  find  a  place  in  her 
heart,  he  added  this,  "Thy  faith  hath  saved  thee; 
go  in  peace." 

Sorrow  for  sin,  faith,  pardon,  love,  peace ;  we 
see  them  all  displayed  in  this  case.  What  do  we 
knoAV  of  them  ourselves? 

This  woman  was  "a  sinner/'  a  gross  sinner. 
We  are  all  sinners;  not  sinners  perhaps  like  her, 
yet  sinners.  Are  we  sorry  for  sin?  Have  we  be- 
come convinced  of  sin? 

She  went  to  Jesus,  she  believed  in  him,  she  had 
faith  in  him.  She  had  gone  in  heart  before  she 
went  in  person.  Have  you  gone  to  Jesus  ?  Have 
you  believed  in  him?  Have  30U  faith  in  him? 
Have  you  sought  his  preciaus  blood  to  take  away 
3' our  guilt  ? 

He  forgave  her  all.  Her  sins  indeed  were  many ; 
he  himself  said  so :  yet  they  were  all  forgiven,  and 
that  at  once.  There  is  forgiveness  with  him  for  all 
who  go  to  him  in  faith  and  in  sorrow  for  their  sins. 
Have  you  received  this  forgiveness  ?  Do  3'ou  be-  • 
lieve  in  it  ?  Have  you  sought  it,  and  that  as  a 
present  blessing  ? 

Love  followed  forgiveness.  When  she  believed 
that   she   was  forgiven,  then  at  once  she   loved. 

2* 


34    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

While  yet  that  behef  was  faint  and  trembhng,  per- 
haps hardly  more  than  a  hope,  even  then  she  loved 
truly  and  deeply,  and  showed  her  love  by  all  the 
means  she  could.  Have  you  this  proof  that  you 
are  forgiven?  Do  you  love  Jesus?  Do  you  do 
any  thing  to  show  your  love  ? 

Then  followed  a  full  assurance  of  forgiveness, 
which  nothing  need  shake,  and  peace,  the  peace  of 
God.  It  was  not  her  works,  not  even  her  sorrow 
for  sin,  that  had  saved  her;  but  her  faith  in  Jesus. 
He  was  her  Saviour,  and  her  faith  gave  her  a  part 
in  him.  Therefore  she  might  go  in  peace,  and 
thenceforth  live  in  peace.  Have  3^ou  this  peace  ? 
Have  3'ou  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus  by  the  Spirit 
saying  to  you,  "Thy  sins  are  forgiven;  ....  go  in 
peace?"  He  gave  this  peace  to  this  woman;  he 
left  it  as  a  legacy  to  his  disciples;  he  would  have 
every  humble  believer  enjoy  it.  Seek  it ;  seek  it  in 
faith ;  rest  not  content  without  it :  "  the  peace  of 
God  which  passeth  all  understanding." 


THE  FOOLISH   RICH  MAN. 


35 


IV. 


Jhe    Foolish    Rich    Man, 

"And  one  of  the  company  said  unto  bini,  Master,  speak  to  my 
brother,  that  he  divide  the  inheritance  with  me.  And  he  said 
unto  him,  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you?  And 
he  said  i;nto  them,  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetousncss  :  for  a 
man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he 
possesseth.  And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  saying,  The 
ground  of  a  certain  rich  man  brought  forth  jilentifuUy :  and  he 
thought  within  himself,  saying,  "What  shall  I  do,  because  I  have 
no  room  where  to  bestow  my  fruits  ?  And  he  said.  This  will  I  do  : 
I  will  pull  down  my  barns,  and  build  greater  ;  and  there  will  I 
bestow  all  my  fruits  and  my  goods.  And  I  will  say  to  my  soul, 
Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years  ;  take  thine 
ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry.  But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool, 
this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  ;  then  whose  shall 
those  things  be  which  thou  hast  provided?  So  is  he  that  layttli 
up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is  not  rich  toward  God."  Lure 
12  :  13-21. 

HEEE  was  a  great  multitude  of  j-jcople 
gathered  round  our  Lord  at  this  time. 
Thi.s  man  was  among  them,  and  perhaps 
his  brother  was  there  too.  We  do  not 
know  which  of  them  was  in  tlic  right ;  but 
very  likely  he  avIio  spoke  to  our  Lord  was. 
But  if  he  was  in  the  right  about  the  property,  how 
wrong  Avas  the  state  of  his  heart.  He  could  stand 
there  and  listen  to  those  solemn  words  of  our  Lord, 
and  5'et  be  thinking  all  the  Avhile  of  nothing  but  the 
estate,  and  the  dispute  with  his  brother  about  it. 
If  he  was  struck  at  all  with  what  he  heard,  his  only 


36    THE  PAEABLES  OE  CUE  LOED. 

thought  was  that  one  who  spoke  with  so  much 
weight  was  just  the  person  to  prevail  with  his 
brother  to  do  him  justice.  Whether  right  or  wrong 
about  the  inheritance,  he  was  clearly  wrong  in  this, 
that  his  heart  was  more  set  on  worldly  than  on 
spiritual  things ;  so  that,  even  while  he  heard  Jesus 
himseK  speak,  his  chief  interest  was  in  the  disputed 
inheritance. 

Even  we  can  see  thus  far  from  the  account  itself. 
But  our  Lord  could  read  the  man's  heart,  and 
doubtless  saw  much  more  clearly  how  worldly- 
minded  and  covetous  he  was.  "  Man,"  said  he, 
"  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  over  you  ?" 
This  was  all  his  answer.  Whatever  the  rights  of 
the  case  might  be,  this  was  no  question  to  bring  to 
him.  He  came  for  a  far  higher  work  than  to  settle 
the  rights  of  property.  He  came  to  save  souls, 
and  to  teach  men  the  knowledge  of  God.  That 
was  no  time,  and  he  was  no  i>erson,  for  the  things 
of  this  world. 

Such  was  his  answer  to  the  man.  But  he  then 
turned  to  the  people  around,  who  had  doubtless 
heard  what  had  passed,  and  gave  them,  in  the  form 
of  a  parable,  a  solemn  warning  against  covetotis- 
ness. 

The  parable  is  one  of  a  pecuhar  kind,  peculiar 
from  its  simpHcity.  There  is  no  double  meaning 
here,  as  in  most  of  the  parables.  This  is  a  plain 
story — a  true  story,  for  any  thing  we  know  to  the 
contrary ;  at  all  events,  a  plain  story  of  a  covetous 
man. 

He  was  not  what  would  be  called  a  bad  man. 


THE  FOOLISH  EICH  MAX.  37 

We  are  not  told  that  he  had  got  rich  by  wrong 
means.  He  was  a  rich  man,  and  this  year  richer 
than  ever,  becanse  his  ground  had  borne  sach  plen- 
tiful crops.  So  plentiful  were  they  that  he  was 
even  in  a  difficulty;  he  had  not  room  for  alL  What 
should  he  do  ?  He  soon  settled  the  question.  He 
would  puU  down  his  old  bams,  and  build  greater, 
and  there  he  would  store  up  his  property.  Then 
he  would  make  liimself  happy  in  the  thought  of  his 
riches.  In  those  great  barns  there  would  be  com 
enough  to  keep  him  in  plenty  for  many  years ;  he 
need  have  no  anxiety;  he  would  now  enjoy  life 
thoroughly,  and  indulge  himself  to  the  fulL  "  Take 
thine  ease,"  he  would  say  to  his  soul,  "  eat,  drink, 
and  be  merry." 

But  there  was  another  concerned  in  this  matter 
whom  the  rich  man  quite  forgot.  How  solemn  the 
words  that  follow.  "'  But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou 
fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  tliee : 
then  whose  shall  these  things  be  which  thou  hast 
provided?"  The  barns  might  be  built,  and  the  com 
might  be  stored,  and  there  it  might  last  for  years ; 
but  the  man  himself,  the  owner  of  it  ail,  would  be 
gone.  He  was  about  to  die.  Even  while  he  thought 
and  spoke,  he  was  on  the  brink  of  the  grave.  Be- 
fore to-morrow's  sun  should  rise  he  would  be  a 
coi-pse.  Whose  would  his  wealth  be  then  ?  liVho 
would  enjoy  what  he  had  laid  up  ? 

Now  what  was  this  man's  fault?  How  was  he 
wrong?  for  he  icas-  wrong,  and  foolish  too. 

Our  Lord  himself  answers  the  question :  "  So  is 
he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is  not 


38    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

rich  toward  God."  When  his  laiul  bronghl  forth 
so  plentifully,  his  only  thought  was  for  himself. 
He  did  not  consider  what  good  he  might  do  to 
others,  what  help  he  might  give  to  the  poor,  what 
relief  to  the  distressed.  He  had  no  intention  of 
laying  out  any  part  of  his  riches  in  the  service  of 
God ;  all  w-as  to  be  spent  on  himself.  "  But,"  it  may 
be  said,  "  was  not  the  corn  his  own  ?  Did  not  his 
own  land  produce  it  ?  Was  it  not  sown  and  reaped 
and  gathered  in  by  his  own  servants?"  In  one 
sense  it  was  his  own ;  in  another  it  was  not.  It 
was  not  his  own  to  use  as  he  pleased,  with  no  refer- 
ence to  the  will  of  God.  All  that  he  had  was  given 
to  him  by  God,  and  he  was  bound  to  use  it  as  God 
Avilled.  And  it  was  not  the  will  of  God  that  he 
should  spend  all  upon  himself  He  was  but  a  stew- 
ard, not  an  absolute  owner. 

Here  is  a  great  lesson.  We  are  all  but  stew- 
ards, God's  stewards,  of  what  we  have.  We  have 
no  right  to  spend  it  all  on  ourselves.  If  we  do  so, 
we  are  unfaithful  stewards,  for  God  did  not  give  us 
our  goods  to  be  spent  so.  Riches,  and  talents  of 
every  kind,  bring  a  responsibility  with  them.  AVe 
must  account  to  God  for  their  use.  Alas,  how  many 
there  are  whose  secret  feeling  with  regard  to  what 
they  have  is  just  that  of  this  man,  "Soul,  thou  hast 
much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years;  take  thine 
ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry."  How  many  are 
spending  all  on  self,  with  no  thought  or  aim  beyond 
their  own  enjoyment  or  advancement !  They  lay 
up  treasure,  but  it  is  all  for  themselves ;  they  are 
not  rich  towards  God.    And  a  poor,  miserable  treas- 


THE  FOOLISH  EICH   MAN.  30 

ure  it  is;  in  clanger  of  rust  and  moth  and  tbieves; 
.not  "treasure  in  the  heavens,  that  faileth  not." 

But  this  man  was  wrong  in  another  respect  also. 
"God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool,''  tbou  foolish  man. 
How  was  he  foohsh  ?  In  this,  that  lie  overlooked 
the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  laid  his  plans  as  if  he 
Avere  sure  to  continue  to  live.  His  barns  were  full, 
his  riches  were  great;  he  forgot  that  he  himself 
might  be  called  awaj.  And  thus  he  lived  all  for 
the  present  life,  with  no  thought  of  the  future.  This 
was  foolish  indeed,  for  eternity  lay  before  him. 

Are  there  none  now  who  are  foolish  in  the  same 
way?  None?  Nay,  are  there  not  thousands,  mill- 
ions ?  At  this  very  time,  and  never  more  than  now, 
vast  numbers  are  planniug,  and  purposing,  and  toil- 
ing, with  no  object  whatever  beyond  this  world. 
Their  faces  become  wrinkled  with  care,  anxiety  and 
overrwork  tell  upon  their  bodily  frame,  restless  de- 
sires deprive  them  of  peace  ;  and  for  what  ?  That 
they  may  be  richer  and  greater  for  a  few  years  on 
earth.  But  meanwhile  their  time  on  earth  is  slip- 
ping away,  life  itself  is  passing,  eternity  is  drawing 
near.  And  for  eternity  they  are  making  no  prep- 
aration. They  give  no  thought  to  the  awful  change 
that  death  will  make.  They  forget  that  death  may 
overtake  them  at  any  moment,  and  must  come  soon. 
Are  they  not  foolish,  these  thousands,  these  mill- 
ions? Common  as  the  folly  is,  is  it  not  the  great- 
est folly  that  can  be  ? 

In  the  parable  the  call  was  quick  and  sudden. 
It  is  not  always  so.  More  often  the  man  of  the 
world  lives  through  the  usual  span  of  life,  and  dies 


40    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

at  length  from  sickness  or  natural  decline.  He 
prospers  perhaps  in  his  plans,  grows  richer  and 
richer,  and  surrounds  himself  with  comforts.  But 
hy  degrees  he  grows  old,  his  power  of  enjoyment 
becomes  less  and  less,  perhaps  mind  and  memory- 
fail,  and  at  length  he  dies.  And  this  is  all!  This 
is  what  he  has  lived  for  and  toiled  for !  Putting  it 
at  the  ver}^  best,  this  is  all.  But  do  we  never  hear 
of  sudden  death  now  ?  Is  it  uncommon  for  a  suc- 
cessful man  of  the  world  to  be  cut  off  in  the  midst 
of  success,  like  the  man  in  the  parable  ?  True,  no 
message  comes;  but  this  does  but  make  the  case 
more  awful,  when,  without  any  special  message  or 
warning,  in  the  midst  of  worldly  thoughts,  cares, 
prosperity,  success,  the  hand  of  God  is  laid  upon 
the  man,  and  in  a  moment  he  is  taken  away  from 
all. 

"  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covetousness,"  said 
our  Lord:  "for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the 
abundance  of  the  things  which  he  possesseth." 
Even  the  necessaries  of  life,  such  as  food  and  clo- 
thing, are  not  life  ;  far  less  are  riches  and  luxuries. 
Life  is  more  than  this.  Life  is  eternal.  We  are  to 
live  for  ever.  If  we  are  not  living  now  as  if  wo 
w.ere  to  live  for  ever,  living  for  eternit}',  living  to 
God,  then,  with  all  the  Avisdom  we  may  show  in 
other  things,  we  are  but  fools  after  all.  There  is 
nothing  that  more  hinders  this  than  covetoiisness. 
A  man's  chief  treasure  cannot  be  both  above  and 
below.  If  it  is  below,  then  it  is  not  above.  "  Take 
heed,  and  beware  of  covetousness."  Let  all  take 
heed;  not  the  rich  only,  but  the  poor  also.     A  man 


THE  FOOLISH  KICK   MAN.  41 

may  be  covetous  about  a  little  as  well  as  about 
much.  A  covetous  heart  is  the  thing  to  guard 
against. 

There  arc  true  riches.  Upon  tltem  we  are  to  set 
our  hearts,  and  for  them  we  cannot  be  too  desirous. 
The}^  are  "the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ." 
Seek  Christ  himself  for  your  portion,  your  treasure. 
Be  willing  to  part  with  all  to  win  him.  Let  this 
aim  be  first  in  your  heart,  far  above  all  worldly 
gain  or  pleasure.  Eemember  eternity  ;  seek  Christ ; 
live-  to  God,  and  spend  your  talents  faithfully  for 
him.  This  is  to  live  indeed.  Then  you  need  not 
fear  to  leave  earthly  possessions,  even  should  you 
be  called  away  from  them  suddenly,  for  you  will 
have  a  better  inheritance  waiting  for  you  above,  "  a 
treasure  in  the  heavens,  tliat  faileth  not." 


42         THE  PAYABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 


Y. 


Servants   Waiting   fof^theif^  Lord. 

"Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  j'Oiir  lights  burning;  and 
ye  yourselves  like  unto  men  that  wait  for  their  lord,  when  he  will 
return  from  the  wedding  ;  that  when  he  cometh  and  knocketh, 
they  may  open  unto  him  immediately.  Blessed  are  those  servants, 
whom  the  lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  watching :  verily  I  s^y 
unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird  himself,  and  make  them  to  sit  down  to 
meat,  and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them.  And  if  he  shall  come 
in  the  second  watch,  or  come  in  the  third  watch,  and  find  them 
so,  blessed  are  those  servants.  And  this  know,  that  if  the  good- 
man  of  the  house  had  known  what  hour  the  thief  would  come,  he 
would  have  watched,  and  not  have  suffered  his  house  to  be  bro- 
ken throiigh.  Be  je  therefore  readj'  also  :  for  the  Sou  of  man 
cometh  at  an  hour  when  ye  think  not.  Then  Peter  said  unto  bin), 
Lord,  speakest  thou  this  parable  unto  us,  or  even  to  all  ?  And  the 
Lord  said,  "Who  then  is  that  faithful  and  wise  steward,  whom  his 
lord  shall  make  ruler  over  his  household,  to  give  them  their  por- 
tion of  meat  in  due  season?  Blessed  is  that  servant,  whom  his 
lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  so  doing.  Of  a  tnrth  I  snj  unto 
yoii,  that  he  will  make  him  ruler  over  all  that  he  hath.  But  and 
if  that  servant  say  in  his  heart.  My  lord  delayeth  his  coming  ;  and 
shall  begin  to  beat  the  men-servants  and  maidens,  and  to  eat  and 
drink,  and  to  be  drunken  ;  the  lord  of  that  servant  will  .come  in  a 
day  when  he  looketh  not  for  him,  and  at  an  hour  when  he  is  not 
aware,  and  will  cut  him  in  sunder,  and  will  appoint  him  his  por- 
tion with  the  unbelievers.  And  that  servant,  which  knew  his 
lord's  will,  and  jirepared  not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his 
will,  shall  be  beaten  with  many  stripes.  But  he  that  knew  not, 
and  did  commit  things  worthy  of  stripes,  shall  be  beaten  with  few 
stripes.  For  ixnto  whomsoever  much  is  given,  of  him  shall  bo 
much  required  :  and  to  whom  men  have  crmmitted  much,  of  him 
they  will  ask  the  more."     Luke  12  :  lj.)-!8. 


THE   WATCHFUL  SERVANTS.  43 

'HE  men  here  s})okeu  of  are  waiting  for 
their  master.  He  has  gone  to  a  red- 
ding, probably  his  own  weddiug,  to  bring 
his  bride  home  witli  him.  It  is  night;  for 
in  that  country  weddings  took  place  by 
night ;  and  it  is  uncertain  at  what  hour  the 
master  will  come.  These  men  are  waiting  there- 
fore with  their  loins  girded  and  their  lights  burn- 
ing, so  that,  whenever  he  comes  and  knocks,  they 
may  be  read}^  to  open  the  door  and  go  out  to  re- 
ceive him  with  proper  respect.  They  are  not  sleep- 
ing, und  they  are  not  misspending  their  time.  Their 
thoughts  are  upon  their  absent  master;  their  atten- 
tion is  fixed  upon  his  coming;  they  are  watching 
for  him  and  expecting  him.  He  must  not  come  and 
find  the  house  in  darkness  and  the  servants  asleep, 
so  they  keep  the  lights  burning.  He  must  find 
them  ready  to  meet  him,  and  to  do  his  bidding  at 
a  moment's  wiirning,  so  they  wait  Avitli  their  loins 
girded.  Generally  men  used  to  ungird  their  long 
outer  robe  when  they  were  at  home,  and  gird  it 
around  them  again  only  Avhen  they  Avere  actually 
setting  out ;  but  these  men  might  be  called  to  meet 
their  master  at  any  moment,  so  the}"  wait  for  him 
with  their  loins  ready  girded. 

What  does  this  parable  mean?  It  represents 
to  us  the  way  in  which  Ave,  as  the  servants  of 
Christ,  are  to  wait  for  his  return.  He  has  gone 
aAva}',  and  is  coming  back;  but  we  knoAv  not  when. 
AYe  are  to  Avait  for  him  AA-ith  our  loins  girded  about, 
and  our  lights  burning ;  that  is,  in  a  state  of  con- 


44    THE  P ARABLES  OF  OUK  LOPD. 

tinual  ro;i(lin(3SS,  not  pnttin^t^  oflf  the  getting  ready 
till  lie  comes,  but  being  ready  always.  This  is  to 
be  our  state  now ;  this  is  how  we  ought  to  bo  living 
to-day  and  every  day.  We  do  not  know  when  he 
Avill  come.  AVo  must  be  ready  to  welcome  him 
whenever  it  nia}^  be. 

"We  are  to  have  our  lights  burning.  Taking 
this  in  connection  with  what  our  Lord  said  else- 
where to  his  disciples,  "Ye  are  the  light  of  the 
world:  ....  let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  your  good  M^orks,  and  glorify  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven,"  we  may  understand  it 
to  mean,  that  we  are  to  be  leading  a  consistent 
Christian  life,  adorning  our  profession  as  believers 
in  the' Lord  Jesus  Christ,  not  ashamed  of  him,  not 
hiding  our  principles,  but  showing  ourselves  to  be 
his  disciples  indeed,  decided  Christians,  coming  out 
from  the  world,  taking  up  the  cross  and  following- 
Christ. 

We  arc  also  to  have  our  loins  girded  about. 
Tlius  wo  are  to  be  ready  to  meet  him  Avlien  he 
comes.  But  we  are  also  to  be  alwaj-s  ready  for 
(!very  call  of  duty;  not  idle,  slothful,  self-indulgent, 
but  active  and  zealous;  so  that  when  he  comes  he 
may  find  us  doing  his  work.  Some  people  are 
always  putting  off  the  great  concern  ;  but  this  par- 
able teaches  us  most  forcibly  that  we  must  not  put 
it  off,  that  it  is  to  be  attended  to  note.  "  Let  your 
loins  be  girded  about,  and  your  lights  burning." 
Do  not  dehi}'.  Be  not  content  with  thinking,  mean- 
ing, resolving.  Ijet  the  care  of  your  soul  and  a 
readiness  for  the   Master's  coming  be  a  present 


THE   WATCHFUL  SEllVANTS.  45 

tiling-  with  3-on,  a  thing  of  to-chiy,  a  thing  of  every 
day,  and  the  most  important  thing  of  alL  Let  it  be 
so  in  your  esteem,  for  it  is  so  really, 

"  Blessed  are  those  servants,  Avhom  the  lord 
■when  he  cometli  shall  find  watching."  Blessed  and 
ha})py  would  such  servants  be  in  the  parable  ;  more 
blessed  still  those  servants  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
who  will  thus  be  found  ready  when  he  comes. 

Blessed,  because  they  will  not  be  taken  by  sur- 
prise. Sudden  as  his  coining  will  bo,  sudden  and 
awful,  yet  it  will  not  come  upon  fhcm  unawares.  It 
will  be  different  i^erhaps  from  all  their  thoughts  of 
it;  far  more  solemn  and  overwhelming  than  they 
have  ever  conceived;  yet  it  will  not  surprise  them, 
for  they  have  been  long  thinking  of  it,  preparing 
for  it,  Avatching  for  it.  To  thousands  and  thou- 
sands it  Avill  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night,  but  not 
to  Ihcm,  for  their  loins  are  girded  about  and  their 
lights  burning.     "  Blessed  are  those  servants'." 

They  are  blessed  also,  because  they  love  tlieir 
Lord,  and  are  glad  to  see  liiin  come.  He  has  been 
long  away;  and  though  they  have  had  some  tastes 
of  his  presence  by  the  Spirit  and  in  his  ordinances, 
yet  there  have  been  many  things  to  interfere  with 
their  enjoyment  of  his  presence,  and  even  to  hide 
him  from  their  souls.  But  now  he  comes ;  he  him- 
self, in  very  person,  their  own  loved  Saviour  and 
Lord.  To  know^  him  by  faith,  to  pray  to  liim,  to 
think  of  him,  has  long  been  their  best  happiness ; 
but  now  he  comes,  and  they  see  him,  and  he  knows 
them  and  owns  them  his,  and  they  are  to  be  with 
him  always.     "Blessed  are  those  servants."     Aye, 


46    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

blessed  indeed.  Whatever  their  lot  has  been  hith- 
erto— poor,  afflicted,  persecuted — at  least  they  are 
blessed  now ;  for  all  this  is  past  for  ever.  No  move 
"want,  affliction,  persecution;  no  more  sorrow  c>i- 
pain;  no  more  of  any  thing  sad  or  sinful.  The 
Lord  is  come  ;  that  is  enough;  they  want  no  more. 
"  Blessed  are  those  servants." 

But  something  further  is  said  here  about  their 
blessedness:  "Verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  shall 
gird  himself,  and  make  them  to  sit  down  to  meat, 
and  will  come  forth  and  serve  them."  Generally 
the  servant  waits  on  the  master,  not  the  master  on 
the  servant.  Was  not  this  what  the  servants  in  the 
parable  were  watching  for,  to  receive  their  master 
when  he  came,  and  wait  on  him,  and  do  his  bid- 
ding? And  would  it  not  be  happiness  enough  for 
the  servants  of  Christ  to  serve  him?  Yet  in  his 
wonderful  condescension  and  grace  he  says  that  he 
will  make  them  to  sit  down  to  meat,  and  will  come 
forth  and  serve  them.  The  lord  will  serve  the  ser- 
vants. What  does  it  mean?  for  of  course  it  is  a 
figure,  a  part  of  the  parable. 

Doubtless  it  means  the  great  honor  and  happi- 
ness which  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ  will  re- 
ceive at  his  coming.  They  will  be  more  than  safe. 
They  will  be  welcomed  to  happiness  and  glory. 
Every  want  will  be  supplied.  They  will  receive 
more  than  they  have  ever  hoped  for  or  thought  of. 
And  what  they  receive  they  will  receive  from  their 
Lord  himself.  It  is  he  that  will  supply  their  wants ; 
he  himself  will  be  their  shepherd,  their  light,  their 
portion.      "  They   shall    hunger    no    more,   neither 


THE  WATCHFUL  SERVANTS.     47 

thirst  auy  more;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them, 
nor  any  heat.  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them 
unto  living  fountains  of  Avaters  :  and  God  shall  wipe 
aw^ay  all  tears  from  their  eyes."  "  Behold,  I  stand 
at  the  door,  and  knock :  if  any  man  hear  mj^  voice, 
and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  will 
sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me.  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne, 
even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  sit  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  throne." 

At  Avhatever  time  the  Lord  may  come,  such  will 
be  the  blessedness  of  those  who  are  found  watch- 
ing. "And  if  he  shall  come  in  the  second  Avatch, 
or  come  in  the  third  watch,  and  find  them  so,  bless- 
ed are  those  servants."  At  Avhatever  period  of  the 
Avorld's  history,  at  whatever  age  in  their  own  life, 
whenever  and  however  the  Lord  m,ay  come,  blessed 
are  those  servants.  To  some  he  may  come  early 
in  life,  to  others  late;  some  may  long  have  been 
looking  for  him,  others  may  only  lately  have  been 
roused  to  knoAv  him  and  to  wait  for  him.  It  mat- 
ters not;  "blessed  are  those  servants,"  all  those 
servants,  all  Avho  are  Avaiting  for  him  Avitli  their 
loins  girded  about  and  their  lights  burning. 

At  this  point  our  Lord  for  a  moment  changes 
the  figure.  It  Avas  his  custom  to  teach  by  means 
of  particular  things  that  had  happened,  as  Avell  as 
by  parables  draAvn  from  nature  and  from  more 
usual  and  general  events.  Perhaps  some  man's 
house  had  latel}'  been  broken  into  by  night,  and  all 
Avho  heard  him  speak  Avere  then  full  of  the  subject. 


48    THE  PAEABLES  OE  OUR  LORD. 

Perhaps  it  was  some  particular  case  that  he  alhided 
to,  when  he  said,  "And  this  kno\v,  that  if  the  good 
man  of  the  house  had  knoAvn  what  hour  the  thief 
would  come,  he  would  have  watched,  and  would 
not  have  suffered  his  house  to  be  broken  through." 
At  all  events,  by  this  little  parable  spoken  in  the 
midst  of  the  other  one,  he  enforces  still  more  strong- 
ly the  solemn  lesson,  "  Be  ye  therefore  ready  also : 
for  the  Son  of  man  cometh  at  an  hour  when  ye 
think  not."  The  master  of  the  servants  did  not 
tell  them  at  Avhat  hour  he  would  return ;  the  thief 
gave  no  notice  what  part  of  the  night  he  would 
choose  for  breaking  into  the  house,  or  even  that  he 
v>ould  come  at  all.  The  servants  therefore  watched 
all  night  till  their  master  returned,  and  the  house- 
holder would  have  done  the  same  had  any  warning 
been  given.  Let  Christians  do  likewise.  They 
have  received  warning  that  their  Lord  will  come, 
but  they  have  not  been  told  when;  nay,  they  have 
been  told  expressly  that  they  are  not  to  knov/  this, 
but  that  he  will  come  unexpectedly,  "For  the  Son 
of  man  cometh  at  an  hour  when  3'e  think  not." 
Their  only  right  posture  then  is  that  of  "men  that 
wait  for  their  Lord."  This  is  how  the}'  are  to  live 
alwaj'S.  Thus  only  can  they  make  sure  of  being 
read3^  Thus  only  can  they  secure  a  share  in  this 
blessedness;  "blessed  are  those  servants." 

Peter  asked  whether  the  parable  Avas  spoken  to 
them  only — that  is,  to  himself  and  his  fellow-disci- 
ples who  heard  the  words,  or  to  all.  Our  Lord's- 
answer  shows  that  it  was  meant  for  all.  AVhoever 
should  be   a    faithful    and   wise    steward,  whether 


THE  WATCHFUL  SEnVANTS.  49 

among  those  disciples  or  not,  and  whether  set  over 
mucli  or  over  little,  whoever  should  be  such  in  any 
age,  that  man  should  have  a  share  in  the  blessed- 
ness of  the  faithful  servants.  On  the  other  hand, 
■whoever  should  be  an  unfaithful  servant,  forf^rettine 
his  master,  abusing  his  trust,  wasting  his  time,  mis- 
using his  talents,  not  watching  or  preparing  for  his 
master's  return,  that  servant  should  find  it  a  ter- 
rible return  for  him.  The  greater  the  trust  the 
heavier  would  be  the  responsibility;  the  higher  the 
station,  the  richer  the  gifts,  the  wider  the  opportu- 
nities, so  much  the  greater  the  condemnation  if 
they  should  be  ill  employed.  All  the  servants  of 
Christ  do  not  receive  ahke ;  all  will  not  be  dealt 
with  alike.  Every  unfaithful  servant  will  be  dealt 
with  according  to  what  he  has  received.  And  all 
have  received  something. 

How  solemn,  how  awful  is  the  warning,  "  Be  ye 
therefore  ready  also :  for  the  Son  of  man  cometh 
at  an  hour  when  ye  think  not!"  Be  ye  read}'. 
Who?  All.  All  to  whom  the  message  comes,  every 
human  being*T\-ho  has  heard  of  Jesus  and  of  the 
great  day.  Be  ye  ready.  For  blessed  bej-ond  all 
words  will  ye  be,  if  ye  be  found  watching;  and 
ruined  and  undone  for  ever  will  ye  be,  if  that  day 
find  you  unprepared.  And,  knowing  this,  will  you 
trifle  away  your  life,  and  waste  day  after  daj',  and 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  voice  of  God,  when  at  any 
moment,  with  no  further  warning,  the  Lord  maj^ 
come?  Do  you  realize  what  you  are  doing?  Have 
30U  ever  considered  the  eternal  consequences  of 
your  present  life  ? 


50    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

It  was  in  mercy  that  the  Saviour  spoke  this 
warning,  and  it  is  in  mercy  that  it  comes  to  yon. 
He  invites  you,  calls  you,  as  well  as  warns  you, 
"Blessed  is  that  servant!"  Well,  such  a  servant 
you  may  be.  Whatever  watch  of  the  night  it  may 
now  be,  how  near  or  how  far  off  soever  the  Lord's 
coming  vaixj  be,  or  at  whatever  time  of  life  you 
may  have  arrived  without  seeking  him,  seek  him 
no^v,  begin  now  at  length  to  wait  for  him  Avitli  your 
loins  girded  about  and  your  lights  burning;  and 
even  now  the  blessedness  may  be  yours.  "Blessed 
are  those  servants,  whom  the  Lord  when  he  cometh 
shall  find  Avatching." 


TH1'>  UNFRUITFUL  FIG-TREE. 


VI. 


The    Unfruitful    Fig-Tree. 

"He  spake  also  this  parable:  A  certain  man  liad  a  fig-tree 
planted  in  bis  vineyard  ;  and  he  came  and  sought  fruit  thereon, 
and  found  none.  Then  said  he  unto  the  dresser  of  his  vineyard, 
Behold,  these  three  yeare  I  come  seeking  fruit  on  this  fig-tree, 
and  find  none  :  cut  it  down  ;  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ?  And 
he  answering  said  unto  him,  Lord,  let  it  alone  this  year  also,  till 
I  shall  dig  about  it,  and  diuig  it :  and  if  it  bear  fruit,  well :  and  if 
not,  then  after  that  thou  .shalt  cut  it  down."     Luke  13  :  C-9. 

ry^'HE  fig-tree  was  planted  in  the  viuepird; 
not  growing  wild,  but  set  hy  the  hand 
of  man  in  a  cultivated  place.  Care  and 
pains  had  been  bestowed  on  it.  In  this 
respect  it  represents  our  state.  We  arc 
not  heathen  men,  growing  wild  as  it  were, 
in  the  wilderness  of  the  world.  Wo  have  been 
brought  by  God's  providence  within  the  sound  of 
the  gospel,  and  within  reach  of  the  means  of  grace  ; 
we  are  called  by  the  name  of  Christ,  and  in  pro- 
fession at  least  are  his  disciples.  We  are  all  plant- 
ed in  the  vinej-ard. 

God  himself  is  the  Lord  of  this  vineyard.  And, 
like  the  man  in  the  paraljle"  he  seeks  fruit  from  it. 
One  particular  tree  is  menMoned  in  the  parable, 
but  doubtless  the  owner  looked  for  fruit  on  every 
tree.  So  God  looks  for  fruit  from  everj-  professing 
Christian ;  not  merely  from  the  churcli  as  a  body, 


52         THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUE  L-QED. 

but  from  each  member  of  it.  The  owner  of  the 
vineyard  came  several  times  seeking  fruit  on  the 
fig-tree.  God^  eye^ja-.-Qj\v:avs  on  us,  to  see  if  we 
are  bearing  fruit.  He  needs  not  to  come  seeking 
fruit ;  "  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  in  every  phice," 
and  that  at  every  moment. 

Nothing  but  fruit  would  satisfy  the  owner  of  the 
vineyard,  nothing  but  fruit  will  satisfy  God.  But 
what  fruit  ?  Spiritual  fruit,  the  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness, the  proper  effects  of  the  gospel  in  heart  and 
life ;  a  contrite  and  believing  heart,  a  holy  and  use- 
ful life.  He  looks  to  see  Christians,  Christians  in- 
deed; adorning  their  profession,  growing  in  grace, 
loving  and  serving  their  Lord  and  Master,  and  so 
living  as  to  win  others  to  love  and  serve  him  too. 
f\A  clear  knowledge  and  a  loud  profession  will  no 
more  content  almighty  God,  than  branches  and 
leaves  would  satisfy  the  owner  of  the  vineyard. 
There  must  be  fruit,  or  the  tree  is  counted  worth- 
less. 

Tlier^  was  such  a  tree  in  the  vineyard,  a  fig-tree 
that  bore  no  fruit.  Three  years  did  the  man  seek 
fruit  on  it,  and  found  none.  We  may  gather  from 
this  that  it  made  a  fair  show,  or  it  would  not  have 
been  left  standing  so  long.  But  it  was  nothing 
but  show ;  at  the  end  of  three  years  there  was  still 
no  fruit.  Alas !  how  many  are  unfruitful  in  the 
spiritual  vineyard !  And  how  long  does  God  look 
for  fruit  from  them  in  vain  !  ^ear  after  j-ear  they 
have  a  place  in  the  vineyard,  receiving  gifts  from 
God  every  day,  both  temporal  and  spiritual;  hear- 
ing the  gospel,  surrounded  by  Christian  influences, 


THE  UNFRUITFUL  FIG-TREE.  53 

and  themselves  professing  to  be  Christians,  yet 
producing  no  fruit  whatever.  Though  they  have 
so  long  heard  the  gospel,  they  have  never  heartily 
embraced  it;  and  though,  like  the  fig-tree  in  the 
vineyard,  they  have  perhaps  fruitful  trees  around 
them,  real  Christians  who  live  with  them,  it  may 
be  in  the  same  house,  and  form  part  of  the  same 
family,  yet  they  remain  cold  ami  dead  and  unprofit- 
able. Christians  in  nothing  but  the  name. 

At  length  the  man  in  the  parable  was  tired  of 
seeing  this  useless  tree  in  his  vineyard.  It  did  but 
take  up  room  to  no  purpose.  It  did  no  good,  and 
seemed  never  likely  to  do  good.  It  should  stand 
no  longer.  So  he  gave  orders  to  the  dresser  of  the 
vineyard,  "  Cut  it  down ;  why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground?"  We  do  not  hear  such  a  command  given 
with  regard  to  an  unprofitable  Christian;  for  God 
works  in  secret,  and  does  not  make  known  to  us 
what  he  is  about  to  do  in  any  particular  case.  But 
we  know  from  his  word  that,  sooner  or  later,  ever}' 
unprofitable  servant  will  be  cast  out,  and^vill  come 
to  eternal  ruin.  God  is  long-suftering.  He  bears 
long  with  sinners,  sends  them  his  messages  again 
and  again,  and  still  waits  to  be  gracious.  But  not 
for  ever.  "  If  a  man  will  not  turn,  he  will  whet  his 
sword;  he  hath  bent  his  bow,  and  made  it  ready." 
And  no  impenitent  sinner  or  unfruitful  professor 
is  safe  for  one  moment  from  the  word  going  forth 
against  him,  "  Cut  it  down ;  why  cumbereth  it  the 
ground?" 

How  many  are  condemned  by  this  very  word ! 
^  How  many  are  mere  cumbercrs  of  the   ground ! 


54    THE  PAEABLES  OF  CUE  LOED. 

They  may  not  be  grossly  -wicked,  tliey  may  even 
be  of  moral  character  and  respectabla  life;  but 
they  do  no  good,  they  do  not  use  their  talents  in 
God's  service,  they  give  no  help  towards  advancing 
the  kingdom  of  Christ,  they  do  but  live  for  them- 
selves. This  is  not  the  object  for  which  they  were 
plciccd  in  the  world,  and  gifted  with  means  and 
opportunities.  They  were  meant  to  act  as  stew- 
ards of  God,  and  to  do  him  service  with  all  that  he 
committed  to  their  charge.  They  are  unfaithful 
stewards,  uuprofitablo  servants;  no  better  than  the 
unfruitful  tree  which  took  up  room  in  the  vineyard 
to  no  purpose. 

The  order  was  given ;  but  the  dresser  of  the 
vineyard  put  in  a  word  for  the  tree.  He  did  not 
deny  that  it  was  an  unfruitful  tree  at  present,  but 
he  asked  for  one  year  more  for  it.  He  would  take 
more  pains  than  ever  with  it.  He  would  dig  the 
ground  about  it,  and  put  fresh  manure  to  its  roots. 
This  might  make  it  bear  fruit ;  and  if  so,  it  would 
be  well :  Ihe  time  and  pains  would  be  well  repaid. 
But  if  it  should  still  bear  no  fruit,  then  let  it  be  cut 
down;  the  dresser  himself  would  not  ask  that  it 
should  be  spared  any  longer. 

Who  is  meant  by  the  dresser  of  the  vineyard  ? 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  is  our  Mediator  and 
Advocate.  He  pleads  for  us  with  God.  He  pleads 
even  for  the  rebellious.  Who  among  the  careless 
and  unprofitable  can  tell  what  he  may  even  now  be 
owing  to  the  intercession  of  the  Lord  Jesus?  It 
may  be  that  he  is  alive  at  this  moment,  that  he 
still  hears  the  gospel,  and  that  it  is  preached  in  his 


THE  UNFRUITFUL  FIG-TllEE.  55 

hearing  more  plainly  and  po-\vcrfully  joerliaps  than 
ever,  just  becnuse  the  Mediator  has  pleaded  for 
liim,  and  further  time  has  been  granted,  and  fur- 
ther means  are  being  emploj-ed. -(- It  may  be  that 
sorrow  has  fallen  upon  one,  and  sickness  on  anoth- 
er, for  the  very  same  reason :  they  were  careless 
and  unfruitful,  and  they  were  about  to  be  cut  down, 
but  Jesus  pleaded  for  them,  and  these  are  his  deal- 
ings with  them  to  lead  them  to  God. 

If  so,  how  precious  is  the  time  which  they  arc 
now  passing !  It  was  only  one  year  more  for  which 
the  fig-tree  was  to  be  spared.  You  too  may  be 
passing  through  your  last  stage  of  life.  You  may 
even  now  be  getting  to  the  end  of  that  space  of 
time  which  was  asked  for  on  your  behalf  by  the 
Friend  of  sinners.  Will  you  be  careless  still?  "Will 
3'ou  still  live  as  a  mere  nominal  Christian,  unfi-uit- 
ful,  unprofitable,  a  cumbcrcr  of  the  ground?  Think. 
The  moments  are  slipping  away,  never  to  return ; 
the  means  of  grace  which  you  are  now  enjoying,  or 
which  are  at  least  within  your  reach,  have  been 
given  you  in  God's  great  mercy,  in  order  that  you 
may  be  led,  Avhile  yet  there  is  time,  to  feel  your 
need  and  to  seek  Christ,  and  these  too  arc  passing 
away.  What  if  you  should  still  neglect  time  and 
means?  What  if  this  last  stage  of  life  should  pass 
with  3'ou  as  every  former  stage  has  passed  ?  What 
then?  Let  the  parable  answer  the  question :  "  Then 
after  that,  thou  shalt  cut  it  down."  How  sad ! 
How  awful !  No  more  pleading  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
then.  Not  a  word  more.  And  who  shall  plead  for 
you  when  Jesus  pleads  no  more?     And  who  shall 


56    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

stand  your  friend  when  even  the  Friend  of  sinners 
leaves  you  to  yourself? 

Be  warned.  Be  moved.  Warned  by  so  fearful 
a  risk,  moved  by  so  great  forbearance  and  mercy. 
Jesus  pleads  for  you,  his  intercession  is  heard, 
time  and  means  are  granted,  you  have  them  now. 
Lose  not  a  moment.  Bise,  and  call  upon  God. 
Seek  Christ  as  j'our  Saviour.  Seek  him  in  earnest. 
Seek  him  as  jour  onl}^  refuge.  Seek  him  as  one 
ought  to  seek  him  Avho  has  long  neglected  him,  but 
who  has  been  spared  to  seek  him  at  last.  Seek 
liim,  and  pray  that  all  the  past  may  be  forgiven 
through  his  atoning  blood ;  and  that  through  grace, 
what  remains  of  life  may  be  heartily  given  to  God, 
so  that  you  may  be  found  at  last  not  unfruitful,  not 
a  cumberer  of  the  ground. 


THE  SOWER.  57 


VII. 


JHE    ^ 


OWER. 


THE    SEED   THAT   FELL   BY  THE   WAYSIDE. 

"  Aud  be  taught  them  mnny  things  by  parables,  aud  said  unto 
them  in  his  doctrine,  Hearken  ;  Behold,  there  went  oi;t  a  sower 
to  sow :  and  it  came  to  jiass,  as  he  sowed,  some  fell  bj'  the  way- 
side, and  the  fowls  of  the  air  came  and  devoured  it  ui)."  Maf.k 
4  ;  2-1 ;  see  also  Matt.  13  aud  Luke  8. 

^^_^HE  parable  of  the  Sower  is  one  of  the 
most  important.     It  is  fuller  than  al- 


most any  of  the  others,  and  more  close 
and  particular  in  its  application ;  and  it  is 
one  of  those  which  our  Lord  himself  ex- 
plained. It  represents  four  diflerent  kinds 
of  hearers  of  the  word,  and  each  kind  forms  a  sub- 
ject by  itself.  We  will  consider  the  parable  there- 
fore in  four  readings,  taking  now  the  first  kind 
only. 

The  beginning  of  the  parable  applies  alike  to 
all  the  kinds  of  hearers.  The  seed  and  the  sower 
are  the  same  in  each  case ;  it  is  the  ground  that  is 
different.  "  The  seed  is  the  word  of  God ;"  soAving 
the  seed  means  preaching  the  Avord,  or  teaching  it 
in  any  way;  a  soAvcr  therefore  is  any  minister  or 
preacher  of  the  gospel. 

"There  went  out  a  sower  to  sow;"  that  is,  a 


58    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

preacher  went  forth  to  preach.  How  often  this 
takes  place.  Not  to  speak  of  other  days  or  other 
lands,  in  our  own  country  and  on  every  Lord's  day 
how  many  sowers  go  forth  to  sow,  how  many  thou- 
sands of  preachers  stand  up  to  proclaim  the  glad 
tidings  of  the  gospel!  The  seed  they  sow  is  good 
seed,  precious _seed.  In  what  the  preachers  say  in 
explaining  the  Scriptures  there  is  a  mixture  of  im- 
perfection, for  they  are  but  men;  but  in  the  word 
which  they  preach  there  is  no  imperfection,  for  it 
is  the  word  of  God.  The  sermon  may  not  be  free 
from  fault,  b^it_the  test  is  faultless.  And  even  in 
the  sermon  the  faitJil'ul  and  prayerful  minister  may 
look  for  help  from  above.  The  seed  therefore  is 
good  seed.  The^vordjs  the  word  of  God,  though 
it  js  preached  by  man.  It  is  the  great  business  of 
the  sowers,  the  ministers  of  Christ,  to  sow  this 
seed,  to  preach  this  word ;  and  they  are  constantly 
doing  so. 

"As  he  sowed,  some  fell  by  the  wa^'side."  This 
represents  a  careless  hearer.  Ground  by  the  way- 
side is  generally  trodden  hard,  so  that  the  seed 
does  not  sink  in,  but  rests  on  the  surface  just 
where  it  fell.  The  careless  hearer's  heart  is  like 
this  ground,  hard  and  cold,  not  in  a  state  to  receive 
the  word.  This  man  has  come  to  the  place  where 
the  word  is  preached.  Perhaps  he  was  obliged  to 
come  there ;  perhaps  he  came  because  it  is  respect- 
able to  come,  or  because  he  would  not  have  felt  easy 
in  staying  away.  But  he  did  not  come  iji,_a,spirit 
of  prayer.  He  did  not  come  for  the  good  of  his 
soul.     He  did  not  come  to  hear  God's  message  to 


THE  SOWEE.  59 

lym.  He  did  not  come  hungering  and  thirsting 
after  righteousness,  desiring  "  the  sincere  milk  of 
tlie  word."  He  listens  perhaps,  but  he  does  not 
care  for  what  he  hears,  or  apply  it  to  himself. 
Perhaps  he  does  not  even  listen,  but  lets  his  mind 
go  oft*  to  other  subjects,  without  even  an  effort  to 
fix  his  attention.  Perhaps  even  while  the  most  sol- 
emn truths  are  being  spoken  in  his  hearing,  he  is 
thinking  of  some  mere  trifle,  or  looking  around  him, 
or  longing  for  the  sermon  to  be  over.  Such  is  a 
Avajside  hearer.  So  he  comes,  and  so  he  hears. 
Are  there  many  such  ?  Alas,  how  many  !  Doubt- 
less, even  when  the  sower  was  the  Lord  himself, 
some  seed  fell  by  the  Avayside.  And  seldom,  if  ever, 
is  the  Avord  preached  by  his  servants  without  being 
heard  by  some  Avho  are  but  wayside  hearers.  There 
are  many  such  hearers  in  most  congregations.  For 
our  Lord  Avas  describing  not  merely  Avhat  happened 
under  one  preaching  of  the  gospel,  but  Avhat  Avould 
take  place  in  general.  And  perhaps  he  put  this 
class  of  hearers  first,  because  they  are  so  many  and 
so  common. 

"What  became  of  the  seed  that  fell  by  the  Avay- 
side? Just  AAdiat  might  be  expected:  "the  foAvls 
of  the  air  came  and  devoured  it  up."  This  is  thus 
explained  :  "  But  Avlien  they  have  heard,  Satan  com- 
etli  immediately,  and  taketh  away  the  Avord  that 
Avas  soAvn  in  their  hearts ;"  "  lest,"  as  St.  Luke's 
account  adds,  "  they  should  believe  and  be  saved." 

The  object  of  the  preaching  of  the  Avord  is  to 
save  souls;  the  aim  of  Satan  is  to  destroy  souls. 
Satan  therefore  is  on  the  Avatch  to  hinder  the  word 


60    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

from  finding  a  place  in  the  heart.  Not  more  ready 
are  the  birds  to  carry  off  the  seed  that  is  left  un- 
covered by  the  side  of  the  path,  than  is  Satan  to 
snatch  away  the  word  from  the  heart  of  the  care- 
less hearer.  The  word  lies  there  ready  for  him. 
It  has  not  pierced  the  soil  of  the  heart.  It  has 
found  no  entrance.  It  is  all  on  the  surface.  The 
enemy  has  but  little  difficulty  in  such  a  case.  This, 
we  may  believe,  is  one  of  his  easiest  works.  If  the 
conscience  had  been  at  all  touched,  if  the  heart 
had  been  ever  so  little  moved,  if  even  the  interest 
had  been  strongly  excited,  the  work  would  not  have 
been  so  easy;  for  then,  so  to  speak,  the  seed  would 
have  had  some  covering.  But  now  it  lies  quite 
naked  and  exposed.  The  word  has  been  heard, 
and  that  is  all.     It  is  snatched  away  at  once. 

Alas,  how  much  precious  seed  of  the  word  is 
thus  sown  in  vain!  In  vain  at  least  as  far  as  the 
careless  hearer  is  concerned ;  yet  not  in  vain  for  all 
who  hear.  For  it  is  not  with  the  seed  of  the  word 
as  it  is  with  the  natural  seed,  that  a  grain  that  falls 
by  the  wayside  and  is  plucked  away  is  quite  use- 
less. The  very  same  words  that  are  heard  so  care- 
lessl}'  b}'  one  are  listened  to  with  deej)  attention  by 
another.  The  message  from  God  which  finds  no 
entrance  into  one  heart  proves  a  word  of  life  to  an- 
other. The  careless  hearer  sits  side  by  side  per- 
haps with  one  who  is  eagerly  drinking  in  every  sen- 
tence. The  word  is' the  same,  the  preacher  is  the 
same,  but  how  different  are  the  hearers  !  This 
seems  to  make  the  case  of  the  careless  all  the  more 
sad  and  solemn.     The  word  which  is  immediately 


THE  SOWER.  6] 

plucked  away  by  Satan  might  have  been  the  saving 
of  his  souh  That  which  is  gone  from  him  in  a  mo- 
ment, forgotten  as  soon  as  heard,  might  have  been 
precious  spiritual  food.  It  is  so  to  others.  It  might 
have  been  so  to  him. 

The  careless  hearer  will  have  a  heavy  reckoning 
hereafter.  The  word  that  he  has  heard,  though 
plucked  away  at  the  very  moment  of  hearing,  will 
rise  up  and  condemn  him.  The  poor  benighted 
heathen,  who  never  in  all  his  life  heard  the  sound 
of  the  gospel,  and  lived  and  died  in  darkness  and 
sin,  will  have  a  far  less  heavy  account  to  give  than 
this  man.  Of  those  who  have  received  much,  much 
will  be  required.  Ah,  how  will  long-forgotten  words 
then  come  back  to  the  mind!  They  were  little 
thought  of  at  the  time.  It  was  a  weariness  per- 
haps to  hear  them.  Eight  glad  was  the  hearer 
when  the  tedious  hour  Avas  over  and  he  might  leave 
the  house  of  God.  Not  one  thought  of  Avhat  he 
had  heard  was  in  his  mind  as  he  walked  away; 
from  that  moment  it  was  as  if  he  had  not  heard; 
for  the  seed  was  snatched  away.  But  noio  solemn 
words  come  back  to  the  memory.  He  remembers 
that  he  used  to  hear  such  words.  He  remembers 
how  he  used  to  hear  them ;  with  what  carelessness 
and  unconcern.  The  seed  that  was  plucked  away 
seems  to  be  there  again;  but  it  cannot  grow  now. 
The  word  that  appeared  quite  gone  from  the  mind  is 
remembered  again ;  but  it  cannot  now  save  the  soul. 
It  is  too  late.  The  careless  hearer  would  like  to 
hear  again.  He  would  not,  he  thinks,  be  a  care- 
less  hearer  now.     Alas,  it    cannot  be.      The   day 


C2    THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

of  grace  is  past,  and  the  day  of  reckoning  lias 
come. 

It  is  but  a  little  while  that  separates  us  from 
that  day.  It  will  soon  be  here.  Yet  men  are  hear- 
ing carelessl}^  still.  Every  time  the  seed  is  sown 
there  is  some  that  falls  by  the  Avayside;  in  every 
congregation  there  are  careless  hearers.  It  is  a 
solemn  and  awful  thing  to  hear  the  message  of  life 
so;  to  sit  where  God's  message  to  souls  is  being 
delivered,  and  to  hear  it ;  to  be  spoken  to,  appealed 
to,  invited,  warned,  urged,  and  all  in  God's  name, 
and  3'et  to  hear  carelessly.  When  this  takes  place 
the  enemy  has  his  will;  for  his  will  is  expressed 
in  these  words :  "  lest  they  should  believe  and  be 
saved." 

Oh,  beAvare  of  careless  hearing;  beware  of  the 
wiles  of  Satan ;  come  to  the  hearing  of  the  word 
with  j)reparation  of  heart ;  hear  it  seriously,  ear- 
nestly, prayerfully,  watchfully.  It  is  the  greatest 
blessing  to  live  within  sound  of  the  word,  for  this 
word  is  the  gospel  of  salvation.  But  every  bless- 
ing brings  responsibility;  and  a  blessing  despised 
or  slighted  will  turn  to  condemnation.  Satan's 
wiles  are  dangerous,  and  his  power  is  great;  but 
God's  power  is  greater.  Pray  for  the  gift  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  hearing  of  the  word.     Watch  and  ])Tix.j. 


THE  SOWER. 


C3 


THE  SEED  THAT  FELL  ON  STONY  GROUND. 

"And  some  fell  on  stony  ground,  where  it  had  not  much  earth: 
and  immediately  it  sprang  up,  because  it  had  no  dejjth  of  earth: 
but  when  the  sun  was  ui3,  it  was  scorched  ;  and  because  it  had  no 
root,  it  withered  away."    Mauk4:."),  0. 

HE  words  "stony  ground"  do  not  ex- 
actly represent  our  Lord's  meaning; 
"rocky  ground"  would  represent  it  better. 
The  passage  in  St.  Luke  is:  "and  some 
fell  upon  a  rock."  The  meaning  evidcntlj^ 
is,  that  in  the  field,  or  perhai:)S  along  the 
edge  of  it,  were  rocks,  or  large  ridges  of  stone,  on 
which  some  of  the  seed  fell.  There  was  a  thin 
sprinkling  of  earth  on  the  rock;  enough  for  the 
seed  to  take  root  in,  but  not  enough  to  give  it 
nourishment  afterwards.  Indeed,  this  seed  sprang 
up  before  any  of  the  rest ;  for  the  sun's  rays,  beat- 
ing on  the  rock,  made  the  thin  covering  of  earth 
warmer  than  the  soil  around.  The  seed  therefore 
sprang  up  quickly ;  probably  in  the  night.  But 
when  the  sun  shone  out  bright  and  hot,  as  it  does 
in  those  eastern  countries,  the  heat  proved  too  great 
for  the  tender  plant.  Having  no  depth  of  earth  to 
strike  its  roots  into,  and  being  unable  to  penetrate 
the  hard  rock  beneath,  it  had  but  little  strength ; 
and  so  it  was  scorched,  and  withered  away.  The 
warmth  of  the  sun  given  out  by  the  rock  made  it 
spring  up  quickly ;  but  the  sun's  burning  heat  by 
day  made  it  as  quickly  wither  and  die.  The  plant 
came  to  nothing. 

Our  Lord  exj)lains  this  part  of  the  parable  thus  : 
"  And  these  arc  they  likewise  which  are  sown  on 


Gi    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

stony  ground;  -who,  when  tbey  have  heard  the 
word,  immediately  receive  it  with  gladness;  and 
have  no  root  in  themselves,  and  so  endure  but  for 
a  time:  afterward,  when  affliction  or  persecution 
ariseth  for  the  Avord's  sake,  immediately  they  are 
offended." 

These  hearers  are  not  careless  hearers,  like  the 
first  class.  The  word  attracts  their  attention.  They 
listen,  and  are  interested.  What  they  hear  pleases, 
and  even  affects  them.  Being  probably  by  nature 
eager  and  warm-hearted,  they  receive  the  word 
with  joy,  and  seem  heartily  to  embrace  the  gospel. 
Thus  far  all  looks  well.  So  it  did  at  first  with  the 
plant  that  grew  up  on  the  rocky  ground.  But  there 
was  a  fault  there,  and  so  there  is  here — a  want  of 
depth,  and  therefore  a  want  of  root.  Like  the  shal- 
low soil  heated  by  the  warmth  of  the  sun,  their  feel- 
ings are  easily  moved,  and  an  effect  seems  quickly 
to  follow  on  their  hearing  of  the  word.  But  there 
is  no  deep  Avork  in  the  heart.  The  effect  produced 
is  with  them  more  a  thing  of  feeling  than  of  real 
impression  or  principle.  There  is  no  counting  of 
the  cost,  no  calm  and  decided  giving  up  of  them- 
selves to  Christ,  no  taking  up  of  the  cross  and  fol- 
lowing him.  When  the  time  of  trial  comes,  they 
prove  to  be  but  ffiir-weather  Christians. 

They  "endure  but  for  a  time."  It  may  be  a 
longer  or  a  shorter  time,  according  to  circumstan- 
ces. But  Avhen  they  are  called  to  suffer  for  Christ — 
when  they  must  submit  to  being  disliked,  laughed^ 
at,  or  even  persecuted  for  his  sake,  then  they  fail. 
They  are  offended ;  that  is,  these  things  are  a  hin- 


THE  SOWEE.  65 

clerance  or  stumbliDg-block  which  they  cauuot  get 
over.  They  held  on  while  the  world  smiled  on 
them;  but  they  cannot  endure  its  frown.  They 
could  follow  Christ  through  good  report ;  they  can- 
not follow  him  through  evil.  They  were  no  hypo- 
crites. They  did  not  pretend  to  hear  the  word  with 
gladness;  they  did  hear  it  with  gladness;  they 
meant  to  be  disciples  of  Christ,  and  thought  they 
were  so ;  but  they  had  no  root,  and  so  in  time  of 
temptation  they  fall  away- 

It  is  a  sad  case,  but  not  an  uncommon  one, 
especially  with  the  young.  The  young  are  gener- 
ally warm  and  eager  in  their  feelings,  quickly 
worked  upon,  readily  moved ;  and  there  is  indeed 
much  in  the  gospel  to  move  the  feelings.  But 
something  more  than  this  is  needed.  There  must 
be  the  Avork  of  the  Spirit  in  the  lieart ;  a  true  change 
wrought  within.  This  alone  can  give  depth  and 
root ;  this  alone  can  lead  one  who  has  received  the 
v.-ord  with  gladness  to  remain  steadfast  under  afflic- 
tion or  persecution.  Without  this,  however  impres- 
sible the  feelings  may  be,  like  the  shallow  soil  on 
the  rock,  yet,  for  any  saving  reception  of  the  gos- 
pel, the  heart  remains  like  the  hard  stone  beneath. 
What  then  ?  Did  our  Lord  mean  to  check  the  glad 
hearing  of  the  word,  or  to  damp  the  ardor  of  the 
young  disciple?  Not  so.  Let  the  word  be  heard 
with  gladness — with  even  more  gladness  than  ever. 
The  happiest  tidings  that  mortal  ear  can  listen  to, 
the  gospel  of  salvation,  the  free  offer,  the  sure  prom- 
ise—let it  bo  heard  with  joy,  for  well  it  may.  The 
seed  that  fell  on  the  rock  was  doing  its  rightful  office 


G6         THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

when  it  sprang  np  so  quickly;  the  Avarm  earth  on 
the  rock's  surface  was  doing  its  proper  work  when 
it  cherished  the  seed  and  brought  forth  the  phxnt. 
So  far  all  was  well ;  the  fault  was  afterwards,  in  the 
want  of  depth  of  earth  to  nourish  the  plant.  So  it 
is  well  that  the  word  be  heard  with  gladness.  Let 
none  keep  back  their  hearts  from  Him  who  claims 
them.  Let  no  cold  caution  be  suflfered  to  quench 
the  rising  flame.  Let  there  be  no  delay,  no  re- 
serve. The  gosj^el  calls;  let  the  call  be  obeyed. 
It  offers  pardon ;  let  the  offer  be  accepted.  It  ap- 
peals to  the  feelings  and  the  affections ;  let  the  feel- 
ings and  affections  yield  to  the  appeal,  and  that  at 
once.  The  fault  was  not  that  the  seed  sprang  up 
immediatel}^,  but  that  it  had  no  depth  of  earth. 
Aud  the  reason  why  some  who  gladly  hear  the 
word  afterwards  fall  away  is,  not  that  they  heard 
gladly,  but  that  they  had  no  root.  They  might 
have  heard  gladly,  and  have  had  root  too. 

Do  not  seek  then  to  stifle  those  ardent  feelings; 
do  not  check  3-our  delight  in  the  word ;  do  not  think 
that  it  is  wrong  or  dangerous  to  have  your  affec- 
tions deeply  moved  by  the  gospel ;  only  do  not  build 
/    upon  feelings  or  impressions;  build  upon  Christ, 
\    and  upon  him  alone ;  know  your  own  weakness  and 
I    instability,  and  pray  earnestly  for  the  Holy  Spirit. 
/    Ask  that  the  work  in  you  may  be_ajceaL  work,  a 
\    deep^  work,  a  lasting  work,  such  as  shall  abide  in 
the  hour  of  trial. 

Will  not  God  hear  such  a  prayer?  Surely  he 
will.  It  wa&  said  of  our  Lord  in  prophecy :  "A 
bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and  smokiug  flax 


THE  SOWER.  G? 

shall  lie  not  quench,  till  he  send  forth  judgment 
unto  victory."  He  spoke  this  parable  not  to  dis- 
courage, but  to  warn.  And  he  himself  said  that 
God  would  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  asked 
him.  Pray  in  faith  of  that  promise.  "  Ask,  and  it 
shall  be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ;  knock, 
and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  Pray  that  your 
heart  may  not  remain  hard  like  the  rock,  but  may 
be  truly  softened  by  the  Spirit ;  and  that  thus  you 
may  receive  the  word  with  gladness,  not  merely  in 
the  surface  feelings  of  an  ardent  nature,  but  in  the 
deep  faith  of  a  believing  heart. 


THE   SEED   THAT   FELL   AMONG   THOllNS. 

"And  sonic  fell  among  thorns,  and  tlie  thorns  grew  up,  and 
choked  it,  and  it  j'iehled  no  fruit."     j\Iai:k  4  :  7. 

-^       ^ 

l_xHESE  "thorns"  were  briers  or  bram- 
bles,  or  something  of  that  sort.  The 
ground  had  not  been  tlioroughly  cleared 
of  them,  and  so  they  sprang  up  with  the 
seed,  and  being  of  stronger  growth,  choked 
the  young  plants.  Their  roots  robbed  the 
plants  of  nourishment,  their  trailing  stems  smoth- 
ered them,  and  their  leaves  shaded  them  from  the 
light  and  warmth  of  the  sun.  Perhaps  these  plants 
did  not  wither  and  die  like  the  last,  but  they  be- 
came weak  and  sickly,  and  yielded  no  fruit. 

Here  is  our  Lord's  explanation  of  this  part  of 
the  parable :  "  And  these  are  they  which  are  sown 
among  thorns;   such  as  hear  the  w^ord,   and  the 


68    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

cares  of  this  world,  and  tlie  deceitfulness  of  riches, 
and  the  lusts  of  other  things  entering  in,  choke  the 
word,  and  it  becometh  unfruitful." 

In  this  case  the  tvorld  is  the  hinderance.  A 
hearer  of  this  cl<lss  is  not  careless  like  the  first, 
and  he  receives  a  deeper  impression  from  the  word 
than  the  second.  There  may  not  be  in  him  the 
same  lively  pleasure  in  hearing  the  word  as  in  the 
last  case,  for  nothing  is  said  about  his  hearing  with 
gladness.  Perhaps,  when  cares  and  riches  are 
mentioned,  our  Lord's  words  point  rather  to  those 
who  are  older  and  have  more  to  do  with  worldly 
business,  as  the  part  before  seems  especially  to 
describe  the  young.  If  so,  this  hearer  has  lost 
somewhat  of  youthful  warmth;  he  is  not  so  easily 
impressed  as  he  once  was,  nor  are  his  feelings  so 
readily  excited;  he  is  more  calm  and  grave.  Yet 
the  word  has  made  an  impression  on  him — a  strong 
impression ;  stronger  and  deeper,  it  would  seem, 
than  in  the  case  before.  Through  the  remainder 
of  the  day  on  which  the  word  has  been  heard,  his 
thoughts  probably  are  serious,  his  purposes  and 
resolutions  sincere  and  earnest. 

But  the  day  of  rest  comes  to  a  close,  and  ho 
wakes  on  Monday  morning  to  find  himself  again 
surrounded  by  the  cares  of  business.  And  he  is 
not  enougli  aware  of  the  dangers  of  the  world.  He 
does  not  watch  against  being  too  much  engrossed 
by  it.  He  lets  himself  give  his  whole  mind  to  cares 
and  riches.  The  desire  to  get  on  in  the  world,  or 
to  increase  his  business,  or  even  to  provide  for  his 
children,  (for  the  word  "lusts"  docs  not  necessarily 


THE   SOWER.  G9 

mean  torong  desires,)  is  suffered  to  be  first  with 
liim.  He  forgets  our  Lord's  words,  "  Seek  ye  first 
the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness."  He 
is  busy  from  morning  till  night ;  his  thoughts  are 
Avholly  occupied.  Thus  the  word  is  almost  forgot- 
ten ;  or  if  not  forgotten,  it  has  lost  its  life  and  power 
in  his  heart.  The  serious  thoughts,  the  earnest 
resolutions  have  faded  away ;  the  word  is  choked. 

St.  Luke  uses  the  words  "go  forth,  and  are 
choked."  The  man  goes  forth  into  the  world  again 
after  the  retirement  and  rest  of  the  Lord's  day. 
There  is  no  harm  in  his  going  forth.  He  must  go 
forth,  he  must  mix  again  Avith  men,  he  must  busy 
himself  again  in  his  worldly  concerns ;  but  he  need 
not  go  forth  and  forget.  He  might  go  forth,  pre- 
pared by  earnest  prayer  and  in  a  spirit  of  Avatchful- 
ness,  and  thus  meet  the  temptations  of  the  world. 
He  might  go  forth,  armed  with  the  Christian's 
armor,  "  the  whole  armor  of  God,"  Avhich  each  sol- 
dier and  servant  of  Cln-ist  is  to  put  on ;  then  the 
seed  would  not  be  clioked.  It  is  possible,  by  God's 
grace,  to  be  in -the  world,  3-et  not  of  the  world;  to 
be  rich  and  busy,  to  be  engaged  in  great  concerns, 
to  have  many  cares,  and  yet  to  be  seeking  first  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness.  The  word 
that  was  heard  on  Sunday  is  often  clioked  in  the 
week  that  f.)llows ;  but  it  need  not  be. 

A  hearer  of  this  class  thus  hears  the  Avord,  and 
then  lets  it  be  choked  by  the  world,  not  once  onlv, 
but  often.  As^xars  roll  on,  perhaps  he  becomes 
even  more  engrossed  in  cares  and  business.  World- 
ly concerns  get  more  and  more  hold  on  him.     His 


70    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

desires  are  enlarged,  liis  riclies  increase,  Ins  anxie- 
ties increase  too.  What  is  the  consequence  ?  He 
hears  the  word  still.  He  attends  perhaps  the  same 
ministry,  and  still  approves  of  what  he  hears.  But 
the  word  has  lost  much  of  its  power  over  him.  He 
does  not  even  at  the  time  feel  it  as  he  used  to  feel 
it.  He  has  not  room  for  it,  his  thoughts  are  so  full 
of  the  world.  Thus  the  Avord  is  choked,  smothered, 
overwhelmed.  This  hearer  brings  no  fruit  to  per- 
fection, no  fruit  that  ripens.  There  was  once  a  fair 
promise,  and  there  is  still  some  show  of  fruit;  but 
the  plant  is  sickly,  being  choked  with  other  things ; 
it  does  not  get  on,  it  cannot  grow;  it  Avill  come  to 
nothing,  and  prove  imfruitful. 

But  pleasures  are  mentioned  in  St.  Luke's  ac- 
count as  well  as  cares  and  riches— the  "pleasures 
of  this  life,"  worldly  pleasures;  and  probably  "the 
lusts  of  other  things  entering  in,"  mean  the  same, 
in  part  at  least.  The  seed  of  the  word  is  as  often 
choked  by  pleasures  as  by  business.  The  j'Oung 
are  especially  exposed  to  this  danger.  Many  a 
youthful  hearer  of  the  word,  who  lijjs  heard  it  with 
deep  attention,  and  has  felt  at  the  time  strongly 
drawn  to  give  himself  to  the  Lord,  has  afterwards 
gone  forth  and  mixed  eagerly  in  the  pleasures  of 
the  world,  often  against  the  voice  of  conscience, 
and  thus  the  seed  has  been  choked.  Not  all  at 
once,  not  without  many  a  painful  struggle,  not  with- 
out repeated  convictions  and  repeated  giving  waj^ 
to  temptation;  slowly  and  gradually,  3'et  surel}-; 
for  it  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  go  agtmist  conscience; 
and  how  can  one  hope  for  God's  supporting  and 


THE   SOWER.  71 

strengthening  grace,  who  is  daily  acting  against 
God's  voice,  the  voice  within  his  own  heart,  and  the 
voice  iu  the  word  ? 

But  are  the  3"oung  to  be  always  grave?  Is 
youth,  the  season  of  joy  and  gladness,  of  high  spir- 
its and  bright  hopes — is  youth  to  be  debarred  of 
pleasure*?  Not  so.  This  is  a  question  often  asked, 
or  rather  a  charge  often  brought  by  the  world ;  but 
it  has  no  foundation  in  the  gospel.  On  the  con- 
trary, true  religion  has  pleasures,  and  pleasures  for 
the  young  too,  such  as  nothing  else  can  give.  It  is 
not  merel}',  as  some  seem  to  think,  a  sad  necessity, 
a  way  of  getting  ready  for  death  when  life  shall 
come  to  a  close,  a  wise  precaution  against  what 
must  come.  It  is  not  merely  this ;  it  is  much  more. 
"Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things,  having 
promise  of  the  life  that  now  is,  and  of  that  which  is 
to  come."  Of  the  life  that  now  is — the  present  life, 
the  life  both  of  old  and  young — godliness  has  prom- 
ise of  it;  it  can  make  it  happy;  it  does  make  it 
happy.  Even  in  youth,  godliness,  or  true  religion, 
gives  pleasure  and  makes  life  happy. 

True,  it  calls  off  the  young  from  the  pleasures 
of  sin,  shows  them  the  vanity  of  the  world,  and  bids 
them  not  seek  their  happiness  in  a  vain  and  thought- 
less course  of  life.  But  does  it  give  them  nothing 
instead  ?  It  tells  them  of  a  Saviour,  and  a  Saviour 
for  tltem  ;  speaks  to  them  of  the  love  of  God ;  bids 
them  rejoice.  It  opens  to  them  in  Christ  a  source 
of  inward  comfort  and  happiness,  such  as  will  never 
fail  them,  such  as  will  bear  thinking  of — real,  solid, 
true,  and  lasting;  and,  besides,  it  leaves  them  in 


72    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

full  possession  of  all  right  aud  innocent  pleasures 
of  this  life.  Tliej  may  be  cheerful  with  all  the 
cheerfulness  of  youth.  They  are  not  debarred  from 
light-hearted  merriment.  They  may  enjoy,  and 
enjoy  as  none  else  can  CDJoy  them,  the  works  of 
God.  Beautiful  scenery,  plants,  birds,  music — they 
may  enjoy  all  these,  and  find  God  in  them  all.  The 
treasures  of  knowledge  and  of  science  are  open  to 
them.  They  may  make  full  use  of  all  the  powers 
which  God  has  bestowed  on  them.  And  lastly,  they 
may  do  good;  they  may  have  the  pleasure  of  giv- 
ing pleasure  to  others — pleasure,  comfort,  and  help. 
They  may  have  the  delight  of  serving  Christ. 
Young  as  they  are,  the}^  iii^}'  even  now  live  and  act 
in  such  a  way  as  that  our  Lord's  words  shall  apply 
to  them,  "Inasmuch  as  je  have  done  it  unto  one  of 
the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it 
unto  me."  Is  all  this  nothing?  Is  it  true  that  the 
young  Christian,  who  strives  that  the  word  may 
not  be  choked  in  him  by  worldly  pleasures,  does  in 
fact  give  up  pleasure  altogether?  Has  he  not 
rather  the  best  of  pleasures  ?  Are  any  of  the 
3^oung  so  happy  as  he  is  ? 

AVe  should  judge  of  worldly  things  by  the  effect 
they  have  upon  us  with  regard  to  the  word  of  God, 
Does  such  and  such  a  pursuit  occupy  me  too  much  ? 
Does  it  deaden  or  weaken  the  power  of  the  word  in 
my  heart  ?  Do  I  feel,  after  indulging  in  such  and 
such  a  pleasure,  that  I  do  not  care  for  the  word  as 
I  did,  that  it  has  lost  its  hold  on  me,  that  it  seems 
inconsistent  and  out  of  place?  Do  I  ever  feel  so 
full  of  busiuess  or  cares  that  I  have  no  time  or 


THE  SOWER.  73 

heart  for  serious  things?  If  so,  there  is  a  fault 
somewhere.  Either  the  thing  itself  is  wrong,  or  I 
am  wrong  in  giving  myself  to  it  too  much.  Let  the 
work  of  self-examination  be  faithful  and  strict.  Let 
it  be  deeply  considered  how  precious  the  word  of 
God  is,  and  how  sad  is  the  case  of  those  in  Avhom  it 
brings  no  fruit  to  perfection.  No  fruit  ?  Then  no 
comfort,  no  peace,  no  liappiness,  no  salvation,  no 
life  eternal.  Yet  it  is  the  word  of  life.  Alas,  that 
it  should  be  choked  ! 


THE   SEED   THAT   FELL   ON   GOOD   GKOUND. 

"And  other  fell  on  good  groiind,  and  did  yield  frnit  that 
siDrang  up  and  increased  ;  and  brought  forth,  some  thirty,  and 
some  sixty,  and  some  a  hundred."     Maek  4  :  8. 

f^'Ei  have  seen  the  seed  proving  unfruit- 
ful in  three  different  ways :  some 
'ailing  by  the  wayside  and  devoured 
by  birds,  other  falling  on  rocky  ground 
and  withering  for  want  of  soil,  and  other 
choked  by  thorns.  Now  at  length  Ave 
come  to  seed  that  produced  fruit,  or  corn.  This 
seed  fell  on  good  ground ;  not  by  the  wayside,  not 
where  there  was  no  depth  of  earth,  not  among 
thorns,  but  in  good  and  sufficient  soil.  There  it 
sprang  up,  and  grew,  and  brought  forth  fruit.  Not 
all  equally,  however  :  "  some  thirty,  and  some  sixty, 
and  some  a  hundred."  All  bore  fruit,  but  sonie 
bore  much  frnit. 

PardMen.  *  A 


74    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

It  is  happy  to  find  that  all  the  seed  did  not  come 
to  nothing.  It  is  hajDpy  also  that  the  word  of  God 
is  not  in  every  case  "  of  none  effect."  Our  Lord 
thus  explains  this  part  of  the  parable:  "And  these 
are  they  which  are  sbwn  on  good  ground ;  such  as 
hear  the  word  and  receive  it,  and  bring  forth  fruit, 
some  thirtyfold,  some  sixty,  and  some  a*  hundred." 
Or,  according  to  St.  Matthew,  thus :  "  But  he  that 
received  seed  into  the  good  ground  is  he  that  hear- 
eth  the  word  and  uuderstandeth  it ;  which  also  bear- 
eth-  fruit,  and  bringeth  forth  some  a  hundredfold, 
some  sixty,  some  thirty."  Or,  once  more,  accord- 
ing to  St.  Luke,  as  follows :  "  But  that  on  the  good 
ground  are  they,  which,  in  an  honest  and  good 
heart,  having  heard  the  word,  keep  it,  and  bring- 
forth  fruit  with  patience." 

The  seed  was  the  same  as  in  the  other  cases ; 
the  difference  was  in  the  place  in  which  it  fell.  So 
the  word  is  the  same  word ;  the  difference  is  in  the 
hearers.  In  each  of  the  other  cases  there  was  some- 
thing that  hindered  the  word  from  working  its 
I)roper  effect.  Here  it  did  so.  Why?  Because 
here  it  was  received  in  an  honest  and  good  heart, 
and  not  only  received  but  kept  there;  heard,  but 
not  heard  only ;  heard  and  attended  to,  and  so 
understood ;  received  in  earnest ;  received  deeply, 
seriously,  and  lastingly;  not  forgotten  again,  not 
let  slip,  not  suffered  to  be  snatched  away,  or  choked 
by  other  things. 

But  what  does  "an  honest  and  good  heart" 
mean  ?  Is  any  heart  -such  ?  Is  not  the  heart  of 
man  an  evil  heart? 


THE   SO^YEE.  75 

It  may  meau  simply  a  heart  unlike  those  of  the 
hearers  mentioned  before  ;  not  indeed  in  itself  (/ood, 
and  yet  not  careless,  unstable,  or  worldly,  like  them, 
but  sincere  and  in  earnest,  desirous  to  know  the 
truth,  and  resolved  to  follow  it ;  humble,  teachable, 
and  upright.  But  probably  we  are  to  understand 
more  by  it  than  this.  In  the  full  sense  of  the  words, 
"an  honest  and  good  heart"  must  meau  a  heart 
renewed  by  grace,  a  heart  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  prepared  to  receive  the  seed  of  the  word.  No 
mere  natural  sincerity  and  earnestness  will  lead  to 
all  that  follows  Jiere — a  true  receiving  of  the  word, 
an  understanding  of  it,  a  keeping  of  it  in  the  heart, 
and  a  bringing  forth  of  fruit  in  the  life,  and  that 
with  patience  or  perseverance.  This  must  be  the 
work  of  the  Spirit,  making  a  change,  preparing  the 
heart  for  the  word,  and  applying  it  with  power. 
Let  us  pra}'  for  this  preparation  of  heart.  When- 
ever we  are  about  to  hear  the  word,  let  us  ask  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  may  make  us  read}^  to  receive  it. 

The  bringing  forth  fruit  hardly  M'ants  explana- 
tion, and  accordingly  we  find  none  given  by  our' 
Lord;  the  same  word,  "fruit,"  is  used  both  in  the 
parable  and  in  the  explanation  of  it.  Fruit,  it  is 
clear,  means  all  that  effect  on  the  heart  and  life 
which  the  word  of  God  is  meant  to  produce ;  the 
very  same,  indeed,  as  what  is  elsewhere  called  "  the 
fruit  of  the  Spirit" — "love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffer- 
ing, gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  tem- 
perance." Gal.  5:22,  23.  The  fruitful  hearer,  in 
short,  is  not  a  hearer  only,  but  a  doer  of  the  word — 
a   true  believer,  a  spiritual  and   practical   Chris- 


76    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

tian,  liviDg  by  the  word  of  God,  zealous  in  good 
works. 

But  in  the  parable  we  find  different  degrees  of 
fruitfulness  :  "  some  thirtyfold,  some  sixty,  and  some 
a  hundred."  Christians  differ  much  in  fruitful- 
ness ;  and  partly,  no  doubt,  because  they  differ  so 
much  in  advantages  and  in  the  means  of  grace. 
But  this  can  hardly  be  the  meaning  here,-  for  all 
this,  seed  was  sown  at  once — it  Avas  one  and  the 
same  preaching  of  the  word.  There  is  a  difference 
even  among  those  Avho  have  enjoyed  equal  advan- 
tages. The  word,  though  truly  received,  does  not 
produce  equal  effects  in  all.  Our  aim  should  be  to 
produce  viuch  fruit.  Our  Lord  teaches  us  this  else- 
vdiere :  "Every  branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he  pur- 
getli  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit ;"  "  He 
that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bring- 
eth  forth  nmch  fruit."  And  again  :  "  Herein  is  my 
Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit ;  so  shall 
ye  be  my  disciples."  AYe  must  not  then  rest  satis- 
fied Avith  a  low  standard  of  holiness,  or  be  content 
to  serve  God  a  little.  It  is  a'happy  thing,  through 
grace,  really  to  receive  the  word  Avith  the  heart,  and 
to  bring  forth  any  fruit  to  his  glory;  but  let  us  aim 
high,  let.  us  press  forAvard,  let  our -desire  be  to  be 
among  those  Avho  bring  forth  fruit  "  a  hundred- 
fold." 

There  Avere  three  classes  of  unfruitful  hearers, 
and  only  one  that  Avas  fruitful.  "We  may  learn  from 
this  that,  Avith  regard  to  the  hearing  of  the  Avord, 
as  weir  as  more  generall}^,  there  are  many  wrong 
Avays,  but  only  one  right  Avay.     But  Ave  may  also 


THE  SOWER.  77 

learn  a  j'et  more  solemn  lesson,  that  but  few  hear 
■with  profit  compared  with  the  number  who  hear  in 
vain.  Those  are  striking  words  of  our  Lord :  "En- 
ter ye  in  at  the  strait  gate  ;  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and 
broad  is  the  way,  that  leadcth  to  destruction,  and 
many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat;  because  strait 
is-  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadeth 
unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it."  Many 
unfruitful  hearers,  and  many  travellers  along  the 
broad  way ;  but  few  hearers  bringing  forth  fruit, 
and  few  travellers  going  by  the  narrow  'waj.  This 
is  but  the  same  truth  under  two  different  forms. 
A  very  solemn  truth.  It  should  set  us  on  the  work 
of  self-examination. 

The  seed  is  sown  in  us  continually ;  often  do  we 
hear  the  word.  What  kind  of  hearers  are  Ave? 
Does  any  one  of  these  classes  represent  our  case  ? 
and  if  so,  which?  "What  has  the  hearing  of  the 
word  done  for  us  up  to  this  time  ?  What  fruit  ap- 
pears in  heart  and  life?  Has  it  humbled  our  pride? 
Has  it  brought  us  to  true  repentance  ?  Has  it  led 
us  in  faith  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  "  Faith  Com- 
eth by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God." 
Has  this  faith,  this  saving  faith,  come  to  vs  by  hear- 
ing the  word  ?  Do  the  fruits  of  faith  appear  and 
abound  in  our  lives?  Are  we  bringing  forth  fruit 
continually  to  God's  glory — thirtyfold,  sistyfold,  or 
a  hundredfold?  Are  we  desiring  to  bring  forth 
viore  fruit?  Are  we  pressing  towards  the  mark? 
Are  we  growing  in  grace  ? 

The  lips  of  Him  Avho  spake  as  ncA"cr  man  spake 
uttered  this  parable,  and  he  himself  gave  the  ex- 


78    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

jjlauatiou  of  it.  He  spoke  it  for  all  ages.  He  spoke 
it  for  US.  For  when  lie  had  come  to  the  close  he 
said :  "  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear." 
We  who  read  those  words  in  the  inspired  book  may 
take  them  as  addressed  to  us  by  the  Lord.  They 
call  for  our  attention,  they  appeal  to  our  con- 
science, they  speak  to  iis  personally  and  individually. 
The  Lord  Jesus  himself  speaks  to  us  by  them. 
Hear  his  voice.  Hear  it  all  to  whom  the  word  is 
preached,  hear  it  all  who  read  these  pages,  hear  it 
all  whom  the  message  reaches  in  any  way.  Hear 
it  as  from  him,  the  Lord  of  life.  We  are  responsi- 
ble for  the  gift  of  hearing,  as  for  every  other  gift. 
He  seems  here  to  appeal  to  this  responsibility. 
"  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,"  he  cries.  He  to 
Vvhom  God  has  given  this  power  ;  he  Avho  can  hear. 
Let  none  who  can  hear  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  Sav- 
iour's words. 


THE  TARES  OF  THE   FIELD.  79 


VII  r. 

The  Tares  of  the  Field. 

"Another  i^aruble  pnt  he  forth  unto  them,  saying,  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  likened  unto  a  man  which  sowed  good  seed  in 
his  field ;  but  while  men  slept,  his  enemy  came  and  sowed  tares 
among  the  wheat,  and  went  his  way.  But  when  the  blade  was 
sprung  up,  and  brought  forth  fruit,  then  appeared  the  tares  also. 
80  the  servants  of  the  householder  came  and  said  unto  him,  Sir, 
didst  not  thou  sow  good  seed  in  thy  field  ?  from  whence  then  hath 
it  tares?  He  said  imto  them,  An  enemy  hath  done  this.  The  ser- 
vants said  unto  him,  "Wilt  thou  then  that  we  go  and  gather  them 
up  ?  But  he  said.  Nay  ;  lest  while  ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root 
up  also  the  wheat  with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the 
harvest :  and  in  the  time  of  harvest  I  will  saj'  to  the  reapers,  Gather 
ye  together  first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them  ; 
but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn.  .  .  .  Then  Jesus  sent  the  mul- 
titude awaj',  and  went  into  the  house  :  and  his  disciples  came  unto 
him,  saying.  Declare  unto  us  the  parable  of  the  tares  of  the  field. 
He  answered  and  said  unto  them.  He  that  soweth  the  good  seed 
is  the  Son  of  man  ;  the  field  is  the  world  ;  the  good  seed  are  the 
children  of  the  kingdom  ;  but  the  tares  are  the  children  of  the 
wicked  one  :  the  enemy  that  sowed  them  is  the  de^^l ;  the  harvest 
is  the  end  of  the  world  ;  and  the  reajiers  are  the  angels.  As  there- 
fore the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire  ;  so  shall  it  be 
in  the  end  of  this  world.  The  Sou  of  man  shall  send  forth  his 
angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out  of  his  kingdom  all  things  that 
offend,  and  them  which  do  iniquity  ;  and  shall  cast  them  into  a 
furnace  of  fire  :  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth. 
Then  shall  the  righteous  shine  forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of 
their  Father.  ^Yho  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  Matt. 
13:24-30,  36-43. 


ITCH  is  the  state  of  the  Avorld  still;  a 
mixture  of  good  and  evil;   "the  chil- 
dren of  the  liiugdom  "  and  "  the  children  of 
the  wicked  one"  living  together.     All  that 
is  evil  in  the  work  of  Satan  ;  all  that  is  good 


80    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

is  of  God — every  thing  that  is  pure  and  hoi}',  every 
renewed  heart,  every  Christian  character. 

The  enemy  of  the  householder  wished  to  spoil 
his  crop.  He  could  not  destroy  the  good  seed,  but 
he  could  mix  bad  with  it;  so  among  the  wheat  he 
sowed  the  seed  of  a  certain  weed,  still  common  in 
the  wheat-fields  of  the  East,  and  very  injurious.  It 
is  called  here  "  tares,"  but  it  is  not  what  we  know 
in  this  country  by  that  name.  In  its  early  growth, 
the  plant  is  someAvhat  like  wheat ;  but  when  the  ear 
is  formed,  the  difference  is  clearly  seen.  It  is  said 
that  if,  through  carelessness,  the  seeds  of  this  plant 
be  ground  in  any  considerable  quantity  with  the 
wheat,  the  meal  is  very  unwholesome. 

The  enemy  who  sowed  the  tares  means  the  devil, 
who  is  the  enemy  of  God  and  of  souls.  His  great 
aim  is  to  hinder  God's  work  of  grace  and  to  ruin 
souls.  We  see  this  in  the  fall  of  Adam ;  and  we 
may  trace  it  still  in  numberless  ways  ;  not  only 
in  what  is  going  on  in  the  world  at  large,  but  also 
in  the  case  of  smaller  bodies  of  meu>  and  in  the 
case  of  individuals.  Everj'where,  in  fact,  this  aim 
of  Satan  may  be  observed.  Hence  come  sugges- 
tions of  evil  in  the  heart,  snares,  tem23tations,  allure- 
ments to  sin.  Hence  hj'pocrites  in  the  church. 
Hence  opposers  of  the  truth.  Hence  corruptions 
of  the  gospel.  Hence  false  doctrine  taking  the 
form  of  truth.  Hence  partial  and  distorted  views ; 
exaggerated  zeal  for  one  doctrine,  to  the  neglect  of 
others.  In  a  thousand  different  ways  the  enemy  is 
doing  his  work,  sowing  tares  among  the  wheat. 

The  enemy  sowed  the  tares  "  while  men  slept." 


THE  TARES  OF  THE  FIELD.  81 

This  is  generally  cohsiderecT  to  mean  in  the  night ; 
but  it  is  not  certain  that  it  does  so.  For  it  is  still 
the  custom  in  the  East  to  sleep  awhile  after  the 
midday  meal;  and  it  is  wonderful  how  nearly  mod- 
ern eastern  customs  are  found  to  agree  with  those 
of  Bible  times.  The  tares  may  have  been  soAvn 
during  this  midday  sleep.  We  can  easily  imagine 
the  sowers,  when  their  work  was  done,  eating  their 
meal  and  taking  their  rest,  and  then  the  enemy 
coming  by  stealth,  and  sowing  the  tares  Avhile  they 
were  asleep.  Indeed  the  words  "while  men  slept" 
might  be  rendered,  "  while  the  men  slept,"  that  is, 
the  men  who  had  just  sown  the  good  seed. 

Whether,  however,  it  was  b}^  night  or  by  day 
that  the  tares  Avere  sown,  it  was  while  men  slept. 
Our  unwatchfulness  is  Satan's  opportunity.  The 
Scripture  says :  "  Eesist  the  devil,  and  he  will  flee 
from  you."  But  in  order  to  resist,  we  must  bo 
aicalce.  "  Watch  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into  temp- 
tation ;"  but  watching  is  the  yery  opposite  to  sleep-  > 
ing.  "Put  on  the  whole  armor  of  God,  that  jc,  may 
be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil ;" 
but  in  sleep  the  armor  is  put  off. 

The  tares  were  not  discovered  till  the  blade 
brought  forth  fruit;  up  to  that  time  the  wheat  and 
the  tares  seemed  alike.  "  By  their  fruits  ye  shall 
know  them."  "  Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  me, 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
but  he  that  doetli  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven."  To  hokl  the  same  doctrines,  make  the 
same  profession,  and  worship  in  the  same  church, 
makes  a  likeness  up  to  a  certain  point  among  men 

4* 


82    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

who  are  perhaps  quite  different  iu  heart.  But  when 
a  total  contrast  is  seen  between  profession  and  prac- 
tice, then  the  sad  conchisiou  is  forced  upon  us  that 
such  a  person  cannot  really  be  one  of  "  the  children 
of  the  kiugxlom." 

The  servants  of  the  householder  wished  to  gather 
up  the  tares  as  soon  as  discovered.  But  this  they 
were  not  allowed  to  do,  lest  they  should  root  up  the 
wheat  with  them.  Both  must  grow  together  till  the 
harvest.  Some  servants  of  God  would,  in  like  man- 
ner, make  a  complete  separation  at  once  between 
the  "children  of  the  kingdom"  and  all  others,  and 
would  have  upon  earth  a  jDerfect  church.  It  cannot 
be.  With  the  best  intentions,  we  make  a  thousand 
mistakes.  God  has  not  given  us  an  infallible  judg- 
ment. AVe  cannot  always  tell  the  false  from  the 
true.  Loud  profession  and  high  doctrine  and  much 
knowledge  will  sometimes  be  accepted,  while  some 
humble  believer,  unable  to  give  account  of  his  faith, 
.may  be  rejected.  And  words  of  stern  and  uudis- 
criminating  rebuke  and  exclusion,  intended  for  the 
nominal  Christian,  may  discourage,  unsettle,  or 
throw  back  one  of  weak,  though  true  faith.  The 
visible  church  of  Christ  on  earth  is  a  mixed  body, 
and  must  be  so  till  the  great  harvest  of  souls.  Not 
till  then  wdll  the  eternal  separation  be  made.  This 
is  God's  appointment,  and  it  cannot  be  altered. 

But  the  separation  is  only  delayed.  The  wheat 
and  the  tares  were  to  grow  together  till  the  har- 
vest, but  no  longer.  Then  the  wheat  was  to  be 
gathered  into  the  barn,  the  tares  to  be  burned. 
Just  so  "the  children  of  the  kingdom"  and  "the 


THE  TARES  OF  THE  FIELD.  83 

children  of  tlie  ■wicked  one,"  tbongh  mixed  now, 
Avill  be  separated  for  ever  at  the  judgment-day. 
Without  confusion  or  mistake,  with  infalhble  cer- 
tainty, the  final  and  eternal  division  will  be  made. 
Not  one  of  the  righteous  will  be  left  out  of  "  the 
kingdom  of  their  Father;"  not  one  of  the  wicked 
will  be  admitted.  Farther  than  the  east  is  from 
the  west,  by  an  infinite  distance,  and  by  a  separa- 
tion that  never  can  end,  the  righteous  and  the 
wicked  will  then  be  parted. 

"  Who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him  hear."  For 
this  is  a  matter  that  concerns  every  living  soul. 
We  shall  not  be  mere  lookers  on ;  we  shall  all  have 
a  part  in  that  great  division ;  we  shall  all  be  placed 
on  this  side  or  on  that.  And  at  this  very  time, 
while  we  are  living  in  the  world,  Avith  that  great 
day  before  us,  we  are  all  either  "  the  children  of 
the  kingdom"  or  "the  children  of  the  Avicked  one." 
There  were  but  wheat  and  tares  mentioned  as  grow- 
ing in  the  field ;  there  are  but  these  two  classes  in 
the  world.  "Children  of  the  Avicked  one!"  What 
an  awful  title !  Who  does  not  shrink  from  taking 
it  to  himself?  "Children  of  the  Avicked  one!" 
With  such  a  parentage  now,  such  an  inheritance 
hereafter !  Yet  if  one  dare  not  and  cannot  hope 
that  he  is  a  child  of  God,  what  is  he  but  a  child 
of  the  Avicked  one?  Is  this  uncharitable?  Nay. 
Nothing  is  uncharitable  that  is  true;  and  this  is  the 
truth  of  God. 

The  harA^est  of  souls  is  not  yet  come ;  the  Son  of 
man  has  not  yet  sent  forth  his  angels.  Do  you  fear 
that  you  are  not  a  child  of  the  kingdom  ?     Oh,  draAv 


84    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

near  to  Him  who  now  sits  on  a  throne  of  grace,  and 
beseech  him  to  make  you  so.  Sue  for  mercy,  par- 
don, life.  Cast  yourself  before  the  cross  of  Christ. 
Plead  his  blood  that  was  shed  for  sinners.  Ask  for 
his  promised  Spirit.  Pray  that  for  the  Redeemer's 
sake  you  may  even  now  be  numbered  among  the 
children  of  God,  and  that  hereafter  you  may  shine 
forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  your  Father. 


THE  SEED,  BLADE,  AND  EAR. 


85 


IX. 


The  Seed,  the  Blade,  and  the  ^ar. 

'♦  Aud  be  said,  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should 
cast  seed  into  the  ground  ;  and  shoukl  sleep,  and  rise  night  aud 
day,  and  the  seed  should  sirring  and  grow  up,  he  knoweth  not 
how.  For  the  earth  bringeth  forth  fruit  of  herself ;  first  the  blade, 
then  the  car,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear.  But  when  the 
fruit  is  brought  forth,  immediately  he  puttoth  in  the  sickle,  be- 
cause the  harvest  is  come."     Maek  4  :  26-29, 

/"^HEN  the  seed  lias  been  sown,  man's 
work  for  the  present  is  over;  nature 
must  now  do  her  part.  The  sower,  hxte- 
ly  so  bus}^  now  sleeps  and  rises  niglit 
and  day,  leaving  the  seed  to  itself.  But 
meanwhile  nature  works.  After  a  time  the  seed 
springs  up  as  a  plant.  First  comes  the  blade,  then 
appears  the  ear,  and  the  ear  grows  and  swells  till 
the  corn  is  ripe,  and  then  man  puts  in  the  sickle 
and  reaps  the  harvest. 

This  is  a  picture  of  the  work  of  grace  in  the 
heart.  Some  of  those  parables  of  our  Lord,  in 
which  he  likens  the  kingdom  of  God  to  various 
things,  represent  in  a  more  general  way  how  the 
gospel  spreads  in  the  world ;  but  this  parable  seems 
rather  to  describe  its  eifect  in  one  particular  heart. 
Lot  us  dwell  on  it  in  this  sense. 

The  seed  sown  is  the  word  of  God,  the  gospel. 
The  sowing  may  be  by  preaching,  or  by  private 


'86         THE   PAEABLES  OF   OUE  LOED. 

reading,  or  by  any  other  means  by  which  a  person 
is  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  And  in 
this  case  the  word  is  not  received  in  vain.  It 
reaches  the  heart,  and  brings  forth  fruit. 

But  the  full  ripe  fruit  does  not  ajDpear  at  once. 
In  some  instances,  it  is  true,  the  growth  is  much 
quicker  and  more  sudden  than  in  others ;  but  gen- 
erally, perhaps  always  more  or  less,  there  is  a  pass- 
ing from  one  stage  of  progress  to  another,  as  with 
the  seed.  The  parable  shows  us  the  usual  course 
of  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart. 

It  is  God's  own  work.  As  the  sower  casts  the 
seed  into  the  ground,  and  then  sleeps  and  rises 
night  and  day,  and  the  seed  springs  and  grows  up, 
he  knows  not  how,  so  is  it  with  the  spiritual  seed. 
Take  the  case  of  the  word  being  received  through 
preaching.  The  preacher  speaks  the  word  to  the 
ear,  but  can  do  no  more.  It  is  God  that  causes  it 
to  reach  the  heart,  and  live  there,  and  spring  up 
and  bear  fruit.  The  seed  tliat  has  been  sown  in 
the  ground  lives  and  grows  by  a  secret  power  which 
Ave  call  nature,  but  which  is  in  fact  the  power  of 
God  put  forth  in  that  particular  way;  and  in  like 
manner  it  is  by  grace,  that  is,  by  the  secret  work 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart,  that  the  word  be- 
comes effectual.  Man's  part  is  to  speak  the  word, 
and  to  pray  for  a  blessing  upon  it;  but  the  blessing 
is  all  from  God. 

Before  the  blade  ajopears  above  ground,  the 
seed  has  sprouted  beneath  the  surface.  No  eye 
saw  it  then,  for  it  was  hidden  in  the  earth;  but  so 
it  was,  or  no  plant  would  ever  have  come  forth. 


THE  SEED,  BLADE,  AND  EAR.  87 

So  the  first  work  of  grace  in  the  heart  is  also  an 
unseen  work.  No  human  eye  behokls  it.  No  one 
knows  the  secret  thoughts,  the  struggles,  the  doubts, 
the  fears,  the  hopes,  of  one  in  whom  the  spiritual 
life  is  beginning.  No  ear  but  God's  hears  the 
prayers  he  puts  up,  no  human  eye  marks  wliat 
takes  place  within.  This  unseen  work  is  often  for 
a  time  a  painful  Avork,  while  there  is  conviction  of 
sin,  but  no  clear  hope  in  Christ.  Yet  it  is  a  blessed 
work  notwithstanding,  for  it  is  life  beginning  in  the 
soul. 

After  the  seed  has  lain  for  a  time  in  the  earth, 
while  this  secret  growth  went  on,  a  tender  green 
blade  appears  above  ground.  This  is  the  young 
plant ;  and  soon  thousands  of  such  plants  show  them- 
selves, and  the  field  that  was  lately  one  uniform 
brown  is  tinged  all  over  with  green.  Just  so, 
though  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart  is  at  first 
beneath  the  surface,  3-et  it  cannot  long  remain  un- 
seen. It  shows'  itself  in  the  life  and  conduct,  in 
changed  desires  and  tastes,  in  seriousness  of  mind, 
in  Christian  tempers  and  behavior,  in  gentleness, 
kindness,  and  love.  At  first,  as  befits  the  young- 
Christian,  it  comes  forth  modestly  and  humbly,  in 
much  weakness;  yet  it  is  there,  and  it  is  seen  to  be 
there.  Nothing  but  grace  could  have  wrought  this 
change.  This  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  the  growth 
of  the  living  word  in  the  soul. 

As  time  goes  on,  the  corn-plant  grows  stronger. 
The  stalk  comes  after  the  blade,  and  soon  the  stalk 
bears  an  ear  upon  it,  not  ripe  or  full  at  present, 
but  still  fruit.    In  grace  the  progress  is  3'et  quicker. 


88    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

For  no  soaner  is  there  a  true  change  of  heart  than 
some  fruit  begins  to  appear.  The  blade  and  the 
ear  in  the  parable  do  but  represent  the  continual 
growth  of  the  soul;  but  in  the  spiritual  life  there 
never  is  a  mere  fruitless  leaf  or  blade,  an  empty 
profession.  Real  fruit  is  produced  at  once;  in 
heart,  and  even  in  a  measure,  in  the  outward  life 
and  conduct.  But  at  first,  while  the  Christian  is 
weak  and  inexperienced,  and  the  inner  life  is  a  new 
thing  with,  him,  though  there  is  fruit,  yet  it  is  im- 
perfect and  unripe.  He  makes  many  mistakes,  and 
is  guilty  perhaps  of  some  acts  of  indiscretion  or 
extravagance.  Many  are  his  shortcomings  and  in- 
consistencies, and  not  seldom  does  he  fall.  He  is 
young  in  grace,  if  not  in  years :  he  has  yet  much 
to  learn.  And  now  he  learns,  not  merely  by  the 
ordinary  means  of  grace,  but  also  by  the  painful 
experience  of  his  own  weakness.  But  the  work 
still  goes  on  within  him.  The  same  power  that 
caused  the  seed  to  live  beneath  the  ground  now 
makes  the  plant  to  grow.  He  who  began  the  good 
work  carries  it  on  still;  and,  in  the  diligent  use  of 
means,  by  prayer  and  watchfulness,  through  many 
difficulties,  temptations,  and  trials,  the  Christian 
groAvs  in  grace. 

The  season  advances,  and  the  plant  lives  and 
grows  still.  The  ear,  that  was  at  first  small  and 
green,  gradually  becomes  full  and  plumj),  then 
changes  its  color,  and  hardens.  Many  a  day  has 
the  sun  shone  upon  it,  many  a  shower  has  refreshed 
it,  many  a  storm  perhaps  has  blown  over  it. 
Through  all  this  it  has  been  growing  stronger,  and 


THE  SEED,  BLADE,  AND  EAR.  89 

fuller,  and  riper ;  and  now  at  length  it  is  quite  ripe, 
"  the  full  corn  in  the  ear."  The  Christian  grows 
too,  making  progress  in  the  spiritual  life,  and  bring- 
ing forth  riper  fruit.  He  also  has  had  experience 
of  sun,  and  rain,  and  storms;  the  grace  and  love  of 
God,  the  work  of  the  Spirit,  temptations  and  trials ; 
and  he  too  has  thus  become  stronger,  more  deeply 
rooted  in  Christ,  more  humble,  more  loving,  more 
zealous,  more  fruitful  in  holiness.  He  is  now  no 
novice.  He  has  learnt  much  of  the  spiritual  life, 
and  through  grace  he  adorns  his  profession,  He 
is  knoAvn  by  his  fruits.  As  those  who  now  pass  by 
the  field  say,  "  The  corn  is  ripening,"  so  do  they 
who  observe  such  a  man's  life  say  of  him  that  he 
is  ripening  too.  And  so  m  truth  he  is;  ripening 
for  heaven,  and  becoming  meet  for  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light. 

At  length  comes  the  harvest.  "When  the  corn 
is  fully  ripe,  at  once  the  sickle  is  put  in,  and  the 
field  is  reaped.  God  only  knows  when  the  Chris- 
tian is  ripe  for  the  great  change.  Some  he  takes 
early,  some  he  keeps  here  long,  to  do  his  will  and 
to  live  to  his  glory ;  but  wc  know  that  in  ever}'  case 
it  is  just  at  the  right  moment  that  the  sickle  is  put 
in,  just  Avhen  affliction  has  done  its  work,  when  trial 
and  suffering  are  no  longer  needed,  when  the  fit 
time  has  come  for  the  servant  of  Christ  to  go  to 
his  rest. 

Such  is  the  course  of  the  seed  of  corn  in  nature ; 
and  such  is  the  progress  of  grace  when  all  goes 
well  But  is  it  always  so  ?  We  cannot  forget  that 
other  parable  of  our  Lord  which  describes  what 


90    THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

happens  to  tlie  seed  of"  the  word  more  variously. 
We  cannot  forget  the  hinderances,  the  difficulties, 
the  choking  of  the  plant's  growth,  the  seed  failing, 
and  some  only  of  it  proving  really  fruitful.  Happy 
therefore  as  the  picture  now  set  before  us  is,  the 
picture  of  a  Christian  growing,  thriving,  bearing 
fruit,  and  at  length  taken  ripe  in  grace  to  the  heav- 
enly home,  yet  there  are  also  solemn  questions  for 
self-examination  suggested  to  us  by  the  parable. 

In  what  stage  of  progress  'are  tjou  spiritually  ? 
All  is  progress  here,  from  first  to  last.  Is  it  so 
with  you  ?  Is  there  growth  ?  Are  you  getting  on  ? 
Do  you  remember  the  time  when  first  you  had 
serious  thoughts  ?  The  grace  of  God  worked  with- 
in 3'ou  then;  you  chose  .Christ  for  your  portion,  and 
heartily  embraced  his  salvation ;  you  came  out  from 
the  world,  and  ranged  j'ourself  on  the  Lord's  side. 
There  appeared  in  joxx  at  that  time  the  green  blade 
of  an  early  religious  profession — young,  fresh,  and 
beautiful.  Years  perhaps  have  since  gone  by. 
What  has  taken  place  meanwhile  ?  What  appears 
in  you  now?  Is  there  fruit — more  fruit?  And  is 
the  fruit  ripening  ? 

Or  has  there  been  a  check  to  the  growth,  a 
stopping  short,  a  choking  of  the  plant?  Has  the 
world  gained  too  great  a  hold  on  the  heart?  Has 
the  love  of  pleasure  proved  a  snare  ? 

Or  again,  without  an}-  particular  hinderance, 
has  your  first  love  been  lost,  and  has  your  heart 
grown  cold  towards  God  ?  Have  your  feelings  and 
affections  become  more  hard  and  indifferent?  flas 
there  been  a  withering  of  the  spiritual  plant,  as  if 


THE   BEED,  BLADE,  AND  EAR.  91 

the  -word  lifid  never  got  deep  into  the  heart,  as  if 
there  had  been  httle  or  no  root,  and  therefore  small 
growth,  if  any  ? 

These  are  solemn  subjects  for  self-inquiry;  for 
the  harvest  is  coming  on,  and  soon  may  the  com- 
mand be  given,  "Put  ye  in  the  sickle."  It  is  higli 
time  to  awake  out  of  sleep.  Eest  not  in  knowledge 
or  in  long  acquaintance  with  the  truth.  Look  well 
into  your  soul's  state;  examine  your  growth,  your 
progress,  your  fruit ;  and  seek  God  in  Christ  afresh, 
more  humblj'  and  more  earnestly  than  ever.  If 
there  be  not  growth,  can  there  bo  life  ? 


92    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

X. 

yHE  Prain  of  ^ustard-Seed. 

"And  he  said,  ^Vlle^eunto  shall  we  liken  the  kingdom  of  God? 
or  with  what  comparison  shall  we  compare  it?  It  is  like  a  grtiin 
of  mustard- seed,  which,  when  it  is  sown  in  the  earth,  is  less  than 
all  the  seeds  that  be  in  the  earth  :  but  when  it  is  sown,  it  groweth 
up,  and  becometh  gi-eater  than  all  herbs,  and  shooteth  out  great 
branches  ;  so  that  the  fowls  of  the  air  may  lodge  under  the  shadow 
of  it."    ilAEK  4  :  30-32  ;  see  also  Matt.  13  :  31,  32. 

'N  this  short  j^arable  our  Lord  set  forth 

the  spread  of  the  gospel  through  the 

world.     Beginning  in  a  small  and  humble 

way,  it  would  go  on  increasing  till  it  should 

become  great  and  mighty. 

As  was  his  custom,  our  Lord  chose  for 
his  illustration  or  figure  something  with  which  his 
hearers  were  well  acquainted,  a  grain  of  mustard- 
seed.  It  is  thought  to  have  been  not  the  same  as 
our  mustard-seed,  though  even  that  grows  into  a 
great  plant.  It  was  but  a  small  seed,  less  than 
any  of  the  seeds  commonly  sown,  such  as  wheat, 
or  barley ;  for  so  we  are  to  understand  the  words, 
"less  than  all  the  seeds  that  be  in  the  earth;"  but 
it  grew  into  a  much  larger  plant  than  the  rest ;  so 
large,  that  it  became  more  like  a  tree  than  a  mere 
herb  or  plant,  putting  forth  great  branches,  and 
giving  shelter  to  birds.  Perhaps. such  a  plant  was 
in  sight  when  our  Lord  spoke  the  parable. 

The  explanation  of  the  parable  is  not  difficult. 


THE   GRAIN  OF  MUSTARD-SEED.        93 

Like  the  grain  of  mustard-seed,  the  gospel  in  its 
beginning  was  very  small.  It  was  not  proclaimed 
with  pomp  and  show,  it  did  not  take  its  rise  in  one 
of  the  great  cities  of  the  world,  and  it  was  not 
preached  by  learned  men.  It  took  its  rise  in  a 
poor  and  despised  country,  its  first  preachers  were 
humble  and  unlearned  men,  and  even  our  Lord 
himself,  great  as  he  was  in  truth,  yet  appeared 
without  any  outward  greatness. 

Such  was  the  gospel  in  its  beginning,  such  it 
was  at  the  very  time  when  this  parable  was  spoken. 
We  must  carry  ourselves  back  to  that  time,  and 
place  ourselves  in  thought  among  those  who  heard 
our  Lord  speak,  in  order  fully  to  see  its  force. 
"The  kingdom  of  God"  at  that  time  was  seen  in 
nothing  more  than  this— a  man  (for  outwardly  he 
seemed  no  more)  attended  by  a  few  humble  follow- 
ers, going  about  from  place  to  place,  teaching  them 
and  such  others  as  would  hsten  to  him.  He  did 
indeed  so  speak  as  to  draw  crowds  to  hear  him, 
and  he  performed  many  wonderful  works ;  but  those 
who  came  to  hear  him  were  chiefly  poor  men  like 
his  own  followers,  and  none  knew  of  his  wonderful 
works  except  the  people  of  that  obscure  part  of  the 
world.  It  seemed  very  unlikely  that  from  such  a 
beginning  any  thing  great  and  mighty  should  grow. 
Judging  by  common  rules,  no  one  would  have  sup- 
posed that  the  history  of  what  was  then  being 
done  and  said,  and  the  very  words  which  were  spo- 
ken to  those  humble  hearers,  would  be  written  in  a 
book  which  would  be  read  from  age  to  age,  in  many 
different  languages,  by  millions  upon  millions ;  and 


94         THE   PARABLES  OF   OUR  LORD. 

that  the  rehgion  which  began  so  humbly  would 
make  its  way  against  all  opposition  and  persecu- 
tion, and  become  the  professed  religion  of  the 
greatest  nations  of  the  world. 

Yet  so  it  has  been.  We  have  but  to  compare 
the  present  state  of  the  world,  as  regards  the  gos- 
pel, with  its  state  at  the  time  when  the  parable  was 
spoken,  and  we  shall  see  how  wonderfully  our 
Lord's  words  have  been  fulfilled.  The  grain  of 
mustard-seed  has  grown  up  and  become  great,  and 
has  put  forth  great  branches.  The  kingdom  of 
God,  by  which  in  this  parable  we  are  to  understand 
the  outward  and  professing  church  of  Christ,  has 
sjDread  more  or  less  into  almost  every  part  of  the 
world,  and  in  the  most  civilized  and  powerful  parts 
has  become  the  prevailing  religion.  Like  the  fowls 
of  the  aif  finding  shelter  under  the  tree,  millions 
have  found  a  resting-place  for  their  minds  in  the 
profession  of  a  true  faith ;  and  numbers,  receiving 
the  gospel  into  their  hearts,  and  living  in  its  faith 
and  love,  have  found  true  rest  to  their  souls,  a  ref- 
uge in  all  trouble,  a  shelter  from  every  storm. 

It  was  most  unlikely,  humanly  speaking,  that  so 
great  a  result  should  follov/  so  small  a  beginning. 
Yet  so  it  is.  And  this  is  not  all.  "We  have  not  yet 
reached  the  end  of  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  A 
great  part  of  the  world  still  lies  in  heathen  dark- 
ness, the  followers  of  Mohammed  may  be  counted 
by  millions,  and  the  Jews  as  a  nation  still  reject 
Christ.  But  we  know  that  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  are  to  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and 
of  his  Christ,  and  tliat  tlie  earth  is  to  be  filled  with 


THE  GHAIN   OF   MUSTARD-SEED.        95 

.  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the 
sea.  How  or  when  this  is  to  be,  and  by  what 
means  it  is  to  be  brought  about,  we  know  not ;  but 
we  humbly  receive  the  word  of  God,  and  believe 
that  in  his  own  time  and  way  he  will  surely  bring 
it  to  pass. 

Some  of  those  who  listened  to  this  parable  Avere 
to  be  the  first  preachers  of  the  gospel,  the  earliest 
instruments  for  the  spread  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
It  must  have  been  a  great  encouragement  to  them 
to  bo  thus  assured  of  the  success  of  their  work. 
Their  difficulties  and  hinderances  were  many  and 
great,  and  their  own  strength  was  small.  When 
they  looked  at  the  humble  beginning  of  the  gospel, 
like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed  only,  the}'  might  be 
tempted  to  despond.  But  the  promise  conveyed  in 
this  parable  might  well  encourage  them,  a-nd  proba- 
bly often  did  so.  Long  after  the  words  were  spo- 
ken— when  Ho  who  spoke  them  had  long  been 
gone — in  the  midst  of  hardships  and  persecutions, 
perhaps  this  parable  often  came  with  comfort  to 
the  minds  of  the  first  preachers  of  the  gospel,  and 
cheered  them  with  the  prospect  of  the  triumph  of 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

Even  so  should  it  cheer  those  who  are  now  en- 
gaged in  the  same  work,  and  all  who  take  an  interest 
in  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  hand  of  man  sows 
the  seed  in  the  ground,  but  it  is  the  hidden  power 
of  God  in  nature  that  makes  it  become  a  great 
plant.  So,  though  man  is  made  use  of  as  an  instru- 
ment, yet  it  is  by  the  power  and  grace  of  God  that 
the  gospel  spreads  in  the  world.     This  power  and 


9G    THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

grace  are  promised ;  we  are  assured  that  the  gosj^el 
shall  spread.  We  see  the  growth  of  a  seed  into  a 
plant,  and  wonderful  as  it  is,  we  are  not  surprised 
at  it ;  nay,  we  expect  to  see  it  so,  because  it  is  ac- 
cording to  the  course  of  nature,  that  is,  according 
to  God's  appointment.  But  it  is  also  according  to 
the  declared  will  and  purpose  of  God  that  the  gos- 
pel shall  spread  in  the  world  and  his  kingdom  pre- 
vail. Let  us  believe  and  look  for  this  as  surely. 
Let  us  receive  all  the  encouragement  of  this  para- 
ble. God  causes  the  seed  to  grow,  and  God  will 
cause  his  kingdom  to  spread.  The  one  is  his  will 
as  much  as  the  other.  Let  every  worker  for  God 
be  cheered  in  his  work  by  this  belief.  Let  all  who 
long  for  the  reign  of  righteousness  rejoice  in  this 
hope. 

But  let  us  look  to  it  also  that  this  parable  be 
fulfilled  ia  our  own  hearts,  as  well  as  in  the  world 
at  large ;  for  though  the  direct  meaning  of  the  par- 
able is  more  wide  and  general,  yet  we  may  rightly 
apply  it  personally  too.  In  hearing  the  gospel,  we 
have  received,  as  it  were,  the  grain  of  seed.  Let  us 
take  care  that  it  be  not  dead  and  unprofitable  in  our 
minds.  And  if  somewhat  of  the  true  light  has  been 
given  us,  and  we  have  experienced  through  grace 
the  first  beginning  of  spiritual  life  in  the  soul- 
small  and  feeble,  perhaps,  yet  real — then  let  us  be 
diligent  in  seeking  that  the  seed  may  grow  into  a 
plant,  and  that  the  plant  may  flourish  and  increase 
more  and  more.  If  we  humbly  and  earnestly  use 
the  means  which  God  has  provided  for  us,  then  we 
may  in  this  way  too  take  comfort  from  the  parable. 


THE  GRAIN  OF  MUSTARD-SEED.        97 

God  will  work  iu  us  by  his  grace,  as  lie  is  wont  to 
work  in  nature.  He  will  give  us  liis  Holy  Spirit, 
and  cause  us  to  grow.  The  small  beginning  will 
increase  continually.  "\Ve  should  seek  this  in  prayer, 
always  pressing  toward  the  mark,  and  ever  striving 
for  a  deeper  humilit}^  a  stronger  faith,  a  warmer 
love,  a  growth  in  holiness. 

And  let  us  seek  that,  in  all  difficulty  and  trou- 
ble, and  iu  all  our  daily  life,  we  may  find  the  full 
comfort  of  the  gospel,  and  may  lodge  continually 
under  its  shadow.  The  more  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  established  within  us,  the  more  shall  we  find  that 
Christ  our  Lord  is  indeed  "  as  a  hiding-place  from . 
the  wind,  and  a  covert  from  the  tempest ;  as  rivers 
of  water  in  a  dry  place,  as  the  shadow  of  a  great 
rock  in  a  weary  land."  We  stand  in  need  of  such  a 
shelter  every  day — a  shelter,  a  refuge,  and  a  defence. 
Christ  will  be  all  this  to  us  ;  preserving  and  defend- 
ing us,  comforting  us  in  trouble,  helping  us  in  need ; 
and  giving  us  withal  such  a  happy  sense  of  security 
in  him,  that  in  him  we  shall  be  enabled  to  enjoy  in 
large  measure  that  "peace  of  God  which  passeth 
all  understanding." 


98         THE  PAEABLES   OF  OUE'LOED. 


XI. 

The   Leaven    lisi   the    /VLeal. 

' '  Another  parable  spake  he  unto  them :  The  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  like  unto  leaven,  which  a  woman  took,  and  hid  in  three  meas- 
ures of  meal,  till  the  whole  was  leavened."     Matt.  13:  33. 


EAYEN  is  generally  used  in  Scrip- 
L-e  to  mean  something  bad.  Thus  our 
Lord  bade  his  disciples  beware  of  the 
leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees, 
meaning  their  wrong  teaching;  and  St, 
Paul  wrote  to  the  Corinthians  that  they 
should  purge  out  the  old  leaven,  and  keep  the  feast, 
"not  with  the  leaven  of  malice  and  wickedness,  but 
with  the  unleavened  bread  of  sincerity  and  truth." 
Yet  leaven  does  not  necessarily  mean  what  is 
bad;  but  rather  any  thing,  whether  bad  or  good, 
■which  is  of  such  a  nature  as  to  sj)read  itself  through 
■^vhat  it  is  mixed  with.  Thus  the  evil  teaching  of 
the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  was  likely  to  spread 
like  leaven  through  the  people ;  and  in  like  manner 
the  sin  which  the  Corinthians  allowed  in  one  of 
their  number,  and  which  thus  became  mixed  up 
with  the  ordinances  of  religion,  and  with  their  parta- 
king of  the  Lord's  Supper  itself,  would,  if  not  check- 
ed, spread  through  and  corrupt  the  whole  church. 
But  in  this  parable  the  same  figure  of  leaven  is 
used  in  a  good  sense.  It  means  here  the  gospel; 
for  our  Lord  said :  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like 
unto  leaven."     As  leaven  spreads  through  the  meal 


THE  LEAVEN  IN  THE  MEAL.     00 

iuto  wliicli  it  is  put,  so  would  the  gospel  spread 
through  the  world.  Such  was  the  nature  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  the  gospel  dispensation  upon  earth. 

The  general  lesson  therefore  of  this  parable  is 
the  same  as  that  of  the  parable  of  the  grain  of  mus- 
tard-seed, which  goes  just  before  it.  But  our  blessed 
Lord  never  spoke  needlessly.  If  he  taught  the  same 
truth  in  different  ways  and  by  diiferent  figures,  it 
was  that  the  truth  might  be  set  forth  in  all  its  vari- 
ous aspects,  and  thus  a  fuller  and  clearer  knowledge 
of  it  might  be  gained.  Each  parable,  however  like  it 
may  seem  to  others,  carries  its  own  peculiar  lesson. 
If  it  sets  forth  the  same  truth,  it  puts  it  in  a  new  light. 

"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven, 
which  a  woman  took."  The  gospel  is  not  left  to  make 
its  own  way  in  the  world,  without  the  use  of  means. 
Human  instruments  arc  employed  — preachers, 
teachers,  writers,  workers  of  various  kinds.  The 
woman  took  the  leaven,  and  mixed  it  with  the  meal ; 
and  in  like  manner  the  servants  of  God  take  the 
gospel,  and  strive  to  spread  it  through  the  world. 
Such  is  God's  gracious  plan  ;  such  is  "  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  It  is  like,  not  merely  to  leaven,  but  to 
"  leaven,  which  a  woman  took." 

Perhaps  a  woman  is  mentioned  rather  than  a 
man  only  because  this  was  more  a  woman's  work. 
But  it  may  be  that  there  is  a  further  meaning.  In 
the  parable  of  the  mustard-seed,  a  man  was  the 
worker ;  here  it  is  a  woman.  Perhaps  we  are  meant 
to  learn— and  certainly  it  is  the  case— that  in  spread- 
ing the  gospel  there  is  work  for  women  as  well  as 
for  men.     We  have  only  to  read  St.  Paul's  epis- 


100   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

ties  to  see  how  women  were  made  use  of  in  the  early 
church;  and  in  our  own  time  women  hold  a  most 
important  place  in  the  work  of  the  gospel.  It  is  a 
distinct  place  from  that  of  the  man.  This  again  is 
clearly  to  be  gathered  from  the  writings  of  St.  Paul. 
And  on  no  account  must  woman  overstep  the  bounds 
which  Scripture  has  set  to  her  work.  Man  has  his 
work,  and  woman  has  her  work.  The  fact  of  the 
two  being  mentioned  in  different  parables  seems  to 
draw  special  attention  to  this.  But  every  man  and 
every  woman  to  whom  the  gospel  has  come  in  its 
power  is  called  to  use  every  means  and  every  op- 
portunity for  extending  it  to  others.  We  are  all  to 
be  sowers  of  the  seed  or  mixers  of  the  leaven.  Not 
one  of  us  should  be  idle ;  not  one  should  be  living 
without  an  influence  for  good. 

The  woman  hid  the  leaven  in  three  measures  of 
meal;  that  is,  mixed  it  with  it.  There  seems  no 
reason  for  giving  any  meaning  to  the  number  three 
beyond  this,  that  the  leaven  was  small  in  quantity 
compared  with  the  meal.  This  little  quantity  of 
leaven  was  mixed  with  a  much  larger  quantity  of 
meal,  and  yet  the  whole  three  measures  were  leav- 
ened. So  the  gospel,  beginning  in  a  small  and 
hiimble  way,  has  spread  already  through  a  great 
part  of  the  world,  and  is  to  spread  yet  farther, 
even  till  it  reaches  everywh-ere.  What  seemed  to 
the  eye  of  man  very  weak,  has  proved  to  be  of 
mighty  power.  -  So  again,  one  who  is  trying  in  any 
way  to  spread  the  truth  may  seem  perhaps  very  weak. 
In  ourselves  we  all  are  weak,  and  ought  to  feel  our- 
selves so:  "Who  is  suflB.cient  for  these  things?" 


THE   LEAVEN  IN   THE   MEAL.  101 

But  some  seem  even  weaker  than  others.  Their 
sphere  is  narrow ;  their  abilities  humble ;  their 
opportunities  few;  their  knowledge,  boldness,  and 
influence  small.  And  deep  humility,  and  perhaps 
also  a  desponding  spirit,  makes  them  perhaps  take 
even  too  low  a  view  of  the  means  and  talents  which 
God  has  given  them.  But  grant  these  to  be  as  low 
and  poor  as  they  esteem  them,,  yet  the  gospel  which 
they  desire  to  spread  is  "  the  power  of  God  unto 
salvation;"  and  the  strength  in  which  they  labor 
is  not  their  own,  but  his.  Small  are  the  means 
which  they  emploj^  little  is  it  that  they  can  do,  like 
the  morsel  of  leaven  which  the  woman  took  and  hid 
in  the  meal;  3-et  who  can  tell  how  great  an  effect 
may  follow  ?  A  word  spoken  for  Christ,  the  simple 
reading  of  a  few  verses  to  a  sick  person,  in  much 
weakness  and  fear  perhaps,  yet  in  a  spirit  of  prayer 
and  faith,  how  mighty  the  change  which  this  may 
work !  And  if  one  heart  be  turned  to  God,  and  one 
person  be  brought  under  the  power  of  the  truth, 
that  person  himself  becomes  a  fresh  instrument  for 
spreading  it  to  others,  and  those  others  in  their 
turn  will  spread  it  farther — and  all  from  that  little 
beginniug,  that  one  humble  instrument.  Three 
measures  of  meal  were  leavened  by  one  morsel  of 
leaven;  numbers  yet  unborn  may  be  brought  to 
God  and  to  happiness  through  the  humble  efforts 
of  some  one  man  or  woman. 

There  is  something  very  peculiar  in  the  nature  of 
leaven;  it  goes  through  all  that  it  is  mixed  with, 
and  makes  a  complete  change  in  the  whole  mass. 
The  gospel  is  like  it  in  this.     Wherever  it  goes,  it 


102   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

makes  a  change;  and  that  not  only  in  those  who 
truly  receive  it,  but  also  in  society  in  general.  In 
a  Christian  country  there  may  be  many  people 
ignorant  of  God,  sunk  in  vice,  and  no  better  than 
the  heathen  in  character;  yet,  taken  as  a  whole, 
how  different  is  a  Christian  land  from  a  heathen 
land !  The  influence  of  the  gospel  is  felt  through- 
out the  country.  It  has  not  changed  every  heart ; 
far  from  it;  but  the  general  tone  and  character  of 
the  j)eople  are  the  better  for  the  gospel.  It  is  so  in 
our  own  country.  There  is  much  ungodliness  among 
us ;  yet  how  different  would  our  country  be  without 
the  leaven  of  the  gospel!'  It  was  so  in  the  time  of 
the  apostles,  in  whatever  country  the  gospel  was 
preached.  It  is  so  still  in  those  heathen  lands  to 
which  the  gospel  is  carried  by  missionaries.  There 
are  many  drawbacks  and  many  disappointments  in 
missionary  work ;  but  the  gospel  is  not  without  its 
effect,  and  thus  we  are  encouraged  to  hope  and  pray 
for  a  greater  effect  still. 

But  this  leavening  influence  is  yet  more  striking 
in  the  case  of  those  who  truly  receive  the  gospel 
into  the  heart.  "If  any  man  b'e  in  Christ,  he  is  a 
new  creature  :  old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold, 
all  things  are  become  new."  "When  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  is  established  in  the  heart,  the  whole 
character  is  changed.  For  the  gospel  is  not  a  mere 
set  of  doctrines  or  opinions,  but  a  life-giving  prin- 
ciple, "  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation."  When 
truly  received,  it  gives  new  thoughts  and  feelings, 
new  hopes  and  desires,  a  new  ground  of  trust,  a 
new  source  of  happiness,  new   and  all-pervading 


THE  LEAVEN  IN  THE  MEAL.  103 

principles  of  action.  Every  day,  and  in  all  his 
conduct,  the  Christian  is  influenced  by  the  gospel ; 
there  is  a  holy  consistency  in  his  life.  Such  is  the 
influence  of  the  gospel,  when  it  does  its  full  work 
in  the  heart ;  and  such  it  is  in  a  measure  in  every 
heart  that  has  received  it.  But  alas  for  human 
frailty  and  imperfection!  The  gospel  in  itself  is 
like  leaven,  but  in  its  practical  effects  it  is  greatly 
hindered  by  man's  infirmity  and  inconsistency,  by 
the  sin  that  still  cleaves  even  to  the  regenerate 
heart,  and  by  the  temptations  and  difliculties  that 
beset  us  from  without.  The  leaven  pervades  the 
meal  without  difiiculty  or  hinderance  by  the  mere 
force  of  its  nature ;  the  gospel  leaven,  on  the  con- 
trary, meets  with  much  to  hinder  its  effect,  even  in 
the  heart  that  is  under  its  influence.  We  must 
watch  and  pray.  We  must  watch  diligently  against 
all  within  us  or  around  us  that  would  liiuder  the 
gospel;  we  must  earnestly  pray  for  the  grace  and 
help  of  God's  Holy  Spirit. 

Much  of  the  leavening  efiect  of  the  gospel  in  the 
world  depends  on  the  consistent  lives  of  Christians. 
A  holy  and  consistent  course  may  do  untold  good. 
For  the  most  powerful  preaching  is  that  of  the  life ; 
and  when  it  is  seen  that  the  Christian's  Avliole  char- 
acter and  conduct  are  under  the  rule  of  the  gospel, 
a  feeling  of  respect  at  least  will  be  produced  for 
religion,  and  perhaps  much  more.  Let  us  never 
forget  that  each  of  us  has  an  influence  on  those 
around  us ;  and  let  us  seek  that  our  influence  may 
be  all  for  good,  and  that  thus  we  may  be  doing  our 
part  in  extending  the  kingdom  of  heaven  upon  earth. 


104   THE  TAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 


XIL 

The   Hidden   Treasure. 

"Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  treasure  hid  in  a 
field :  the  which  when  a  man  hath  found,  he  hideth,  and  for  joy 
thereof  goetli  and  selleth  all  that  he  hath,  and  buyeth  that  field." 
Matt.  13  :  44. 

■T  lias  often  been  a  practice  in  troubled 
times  to  hide  treasure  in  some  secret 
place,  with  the  intention  of  finding  it  again 
when  peace  should  be  restored.  Various 
are  the  hiding-places  that  have  been  cho- 
sen :  an  old  wall,  the  hollow  of  a  tree,  a 
hole  in  the  ground.  But  it  has  happened  not  sel- 
dom that  some  one  else  has  been  so  fortunate  as  to 
discover  the  hiding-place,  and  to  possess  himself  of 
the  treasure,  to  the  bitter  disappointment  of  the 
owner  when  he  went  to  look  for  what  he  had  hidden. 
Such  a  finding  is  represented  in  this  parable. 
A  man  finds  treasure  hidden  in  a  field.  He  tells  his 
secret  to  no  one,  but,  full  of  joy,  takes  instant  meas- 
ures to  make  the  prize  his  own.  Carefully  hiding- 
it  again  out  of  sight,  he  goes  and  sells  all  that  he 
has  and  buys  that  field.  Now  no  one  can  dispute 
his  right.  When  once  the  field  is  his,  he  may  claim 
all  that  is  in  it.^  He  has  made  a  sacrifice,  it  is  true, 
to  obtain  it ;  but  he  has  secured  the  treasure  as  his 
own. 

Our  Lord  likens  the  kingdom  of  heaveii  to  this 


THE  HIDDEN  TREASUEE.  105 

treasure.  He  represents  to  us  by  this  parable  the 
gospel  itself,  and  the  conduct  of  one  who  truly 
embraces  it. 

The  gospel  is  a  treasure  indeed — better  than 
gold  and  silver,  more  precious  than  rubies,  worth 
more  than  all  the  world.  A  man  may  have  all  that 
the  world  can  give,  yet  without  the  gospel  he  is 
poor ;  and  he  is  rich  v/ho  has  the  gospel,  though  he 
may  be  in  want  of  almost  all  besides. 

But  the  gospel  has  not  always  been  made  known  : 
even  now  it  is  unknown  to  a  great  part  of  mankind ; 
and  where  it  is  known,  numbers  know  it  only  with 
the  understanding,  not  with  the  heart.  In  all  these 
cases  it  is  like  "  treasure  hid  in  a  field."  The  hea- 
then are  altogether  ignorant  of  it ;  from  tliem  this 
treasure  is  quite  hidden.  The  nominal  Christian 
knows  of  its  existence,  but  knows  not  its  precious- 
ness ;  and  it  is  no  treasure  to  one  who  feels  no  need 
of  it,  and  sees  no  value  in  it. 

But  when  the  conscience  is  awakened,  and  the 
heart  is  touched,  and  a  man  has  been  led  to  feel  his 
sinfulness  and  need,  and  to  see  light  and  life  and 
salvation  in  the  gospel,  then  it  is  as  though  he  had 
found  hid  treasure.  Many  among  the  heathen, 
hearing  the  gospel  for  the  first  time,  have  at  once 
been  brought  to  see  its  preciousness,  and  thus  have 
found  the  treasure.  But  the  change  is  hardly  less, 
when  one  who  has  heard  the  sound  of  the  gospel 
all  his  life  first  feels  his  heart  affected  by  it.  The 
treasure  was  close  by  him  before — in  the  field  with 
him,  as  it  were ;  but  it  was  an  unknown  treasure.  It 
may  be  that  the  man  in  the  parable  had  passed  by 


106   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

the  spot  where  the  treasure  was  a  hundred  times, 
had  trodden  it  down  with  his  feet,  or  driven  his 
plough  over  it ;  but  he  never  supected  what  hiy  so 
near,  till  the  day  when  perhaps  the  ploughshare, 
in  turning  up  the  soil,  disclosed  what  Avas  beneath. 
So  one  may  have  heard  the  gospel  year  after  year, 
and  yet  never  have  found  out  its  preciousness,  till 
some  sermon  or  some  word  was  brought  home  to 
his  heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

When  once  the  heart  is  thus  awakened,  then 
there  is  a  change  indeed.  Other  things  lose  much 
of  their  value ;  the  soul  is  felt  to  be  of  the  deepest 
importance,  and  the  good  news  of  salvation  through 
Christ  is  prized  above  all.  To  gain  a  share  in  this 
great  salvation,  to  be  forgiven,  reconciled,  and 
saved,  this  is  now  felt  to  be  the  great  concern ;  and 
all  else  seems  of  comparatively  trifling  moment. 
The  man  in  the  parable  went  and  sold  all  that  he 
had,  and  bought  the  field  where  the  treasure  was. 
The  apostle  Paul  declared  that  he  had  willingly 
suffered  the  loss  of  all  things  that  he  might  win 
Christ.  Our  Saviour  taught  us  that  there  is  but 
one  thing  needful.  Even  so  must  we  embrace  the 
gospel.  We  must  seek  salvation  as  the  one  thing 
needful;  we  must  be  willing  to  part  with  all  for 
Christ's  sake ;  we  must  count  all  but  loss  for  him. 
No  bospm  sin  must  be  spared,  no  vain  attempt  must 
be  made  to  serve  two  masters;  all  that  stands  in 
the  way  of  eur  souls  must  be  freely  parted  with. 
Paul  never  repented  the  sacrifice  he  had  made, 
"Yea,  doubtless,"  he  said,  "and  I  count  all  things 
but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of 


THE  HIDDEN  TEEASURE.  107 

Christ  Jesus  my  Lord."  So  highly  should  we  prize 
this  treasure,  so  joyful  should  we  be  to  find  it,  that 
all  else  will  seem  to  us  as  dross  in  comparison. 

No  earthly  treasure  isan  fully  represent  the  pve- 
ciousness  of  the  gospel.  The  man  in  the  parable 
was  glad  to  part  with  all  that  he  had  in  order  to 
possess  himself  of  that  field ;  and  he  did  wisely, 
for  the  hidden  treasure  was  of  far  greater  value 
than  the  price  paid  to  obtain  it.  Yet  it  was  but 
earthly  treasure  after  all ;  the  same  in  kind  as  what 
he  parted  with  for  it,  though  larger  in  amount. 
But  a  little  while,  and  all  treasure  of  this  kind, 
whether  larger  or  smaller,  whether  inherited  or 
earned,  or  found  (as  they  say)  b}^  some  lucky  chance, 
must  be  left  for  ever.  Not  so  the  treasure  of  the 
gospel,  the  true  riches.  This  is  a  treasure  which 
no  moth  or  rust  can  corrupt,  which  no  thief  can 
steal,  and  which  even  death  itself  cannot  take  away. 
On  the  contrary,  death,  which  jiarts  us  from  gold 
and  silver  and  lands  and  houses,  will  but  put  us  in 
fuller  possession  of  these  gospel  riches,  this  heav- 
enly treasure.  "  To  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die 
is  (jainy  He  who  said  this  had  already  found  "the 
unsearchable  riches  of  Christ,"  but  he  looked  for- 
ward to  a  more  perfect  enjoyment  of  them  after 
death. 

There  are  also  some  other  points  of  difference 
between  the  parable  and  what  it  is  meant  to  repre- 
sent. 

The  man  in  the  parable  hougld  the  field;  but 
there  is  no  buying  the  spiritual  treasure.  We  must 
indeed  part  with  all  that  comes  between  us  and  sal- 


108       THE  PARABLES  OF  OUli  LORD. 

vation ;  but  not  in  the  way  of  a  price  paid.  "  The 
fjift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  througli  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord."  This  is  "without  money,  and  witliout 
price." 

Again,  tliis  treasure  is  enough  to  supply  the 
wants  of  all.  In  the  parable,  but  one  could  have 
it;  in  the  gospel  it  is  offered  to  all.  "Ho,  every 
one  tliat  thirstcth,  come  ye  to  tlie  waters,  and  he 
that  hatli  no  money."  "  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest." 

He  therefore  wlio  finds  it  needs  not  to  hide  it, 
lest  another  should  discover  it  and  rob  him  of  it. 
On  the  contrary,  the  newly-awakened  man  desires 
to  make  all  sharers  in  the  blessing  he  jjas  found. 
"Come  hither,  and  I  will  tell  you  what  he  hath 
done  for  my  soul."  "  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say. 
Come  ;  and  let  him  that  hoareth  say.  Come !"  One 
sign  of  a  man's  having  found  the  treasure  himself 
is,  that  he  desires  to  lead  others  to  find  it  too.  Ho 
who  has  found  Christ  loves  Christ ;  and  he  wlio 
loves  Christ,  loves  all  for  Clirist's  sake,  and  longs 
that  all  shoidd  know  and  love  him. 


THE  TEAEL  OF  GEEAT   TEICE.        109 


XIII. 


The   Pearl   of    pREAX   Price. 

■'Again,  the  kiugdoiu  of  heaven  is  like  imto  a,  merchantman, 
seeking  goodly  pearls :  Mho,  when  he  had  found  one  pearl  of 
great  price,  went  and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bonght  it."  Matt. 
13:45,46. 


HIS  chapter  is  full  of  parables,  all  meant 
to  teacli  us  the  nature  of  "  the  kingdom 


of  heaven.''  Therefore,  all  the  parables, 
from  the  twenty-fourth  verse,  begin  with 
almost  the  same  words  as  this  one,  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  like."  This  "king- 
dom of  heaven"  does  not  mean  heaven  above,  but 
heaven  below.  It  means  God's  government  on 
earth  under  the  gospel,  the  gospel  system,  what  is 
taking  place  now  under  the  gospel,  and  will  take 
place  hereafter.  Each  parable  teaches  some  par- 
ticular lesson  about  "the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  and 
throws  light  on  some  one  point.  This  parable 
teaches  the  great  prcciousncss  of  salvation  in  Christ, 
and  that  it  is  worth  every  sacrifice. 

It  is  a  very  plain  parable,  one  that  all  can  un- 
derstand without  difficidty.  The  more  so,  as  the 
very  thing  here  represented  might  take  place  now; 
for  pearls  are  still  precious,  and  are  still  bought 
and  sold  in  this  way.  They  are  substances  found 
in  certain  shells  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea  in  some 
parts  of  the  M'orld,  and  made  use  of  as  jewels.    The 


110   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

chief  pearl-fishery  is  near  the  coast  of  CeyloD,  one 
of  the  very  spots  where  pearls  were  sought  for  in 
ancient  times.  The  pearls  are  brought  up  from  the 
deep  by  divers,  and  differ  much  in  size  and  value. 
The  very  finest  are  worth  a  large  sum  of  money; 
but  these  are  rare.  There  are  still  merchants  whose 
business  it  is  to  deal  in  pearls,  either  employing 
the  divers  themselves,  or  buying  of  those  who  do 
so.  These  customs  are  probably  little  changed 
since  the  very  time  when  our  Lord  spoke. 

The  parable  represents  a  merchant  meeting  with 
one  pearl  of  extraordinary  value.  He  had  proba- 
bly never  seen  or  heard  of  so  rich  a  one  before. 
Could  he  but  get  possession  of  it,  his  fortune  was 
made.  So,  without  hesitation,  he  goes  and  sells 
all  that  he  has,  all  his  other  pearls,  all  his  stock  in 
trade,  all  his  property  of  every  kind,  and  buys  it. 
Thus  he  gave  up  all  that  he  had  for  it,  and  thought 
himself  happy  to  gain  it  even  then. 

What  does  the  pearl  mean?  Evidently  salva- 
tion. For  this  is  the  prize  of  the  gospel,  the  great 
blessing  of  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  the  fruit  of 
the  coming  and  sacrifice  of  Christ.  Indeed,  Christ 
himself  may  be  said  to  be  the  pearl,  in  the  sense 
in  which  the  apostle  Paul  says,  "But  what  things 
were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  Christ, . , . 
that  I  may  win  Christ."  It  makes  little  difference 
whether  we  consider  the  pearl  to  be  the  Saviour 
himself,  or  the  salvation  which  he  wrought  out ;  for 
to  have  a  part  in  Christ  is  to  be  saved  by  him ; 
and  this  is  the  "  pearl  of  great  price." 

The  merchantman  we  may  take  to  mean  any 


THE  PEARL  OF  GREAT  PRICE.        Ill 

person  seeking  happiness  or  good  for  himself.  As 
the  merchantman  used  to  go  hither  and  thither, 
inquiring,  seeking,  and  bargaining,  so  do  people  in 
general  seek  good  for  themselves  in  various  ways. 
Disappointed  in  one  source,  they  turn  to  another. 
Their  object  is  still  the  same. 

Or  perhaps  avo  may  take  him  to  mean  an  awa- 
kened soul  seeking  peace.  Such  a  man  is  not  a 
mere  seeker  after  happiness  generally.  He  has 
been  roused  to  a  sense  of  religion,  his  conscience 
has  been  touched,  he  has  been  led  to  feel  his  need. 
But  he  has  not  yet  found  peace.  He  is  seeking, 
inquiring,  using  means. 

In  whichever  sense"  we  take  the  merchantman, 
it  is  clear  what  is  meant  by  his  finding  the  pearl. 
This  represents  a  man  bccomiDg  acquainted  with 
salvation  by  Christ.  He  may  have  known  the  doc- 
trine before,  but  it  never  before  arrested  his  atten- 
tion and  engaged  his  heart.  Perhaps  it  is  now  more 
clearly  and  forcibly  set  forth  to  him,  or  God's  prov- 
idential dealiric;s  have  brought  him  to  more  serious- 
ness  of  mind.  At  all  events,  the  truth  now  strikes 
him,  and  touches  his  heart.  Here  the  awakened 
conscience  sees  just  what  it  wants;  here  the  seeker 
after  happiness  finds  what  he  sought.  Convinced, 
impressed,  and  deeply  in  earnest,  the  man  parts 
with  all  to  win  Christ.  The  world  is  given  up,  the 
bosom  sin  is  forsaken,  all  that  stands  in  the  way  of 
his  soul  is  freely  sacrificed,  self-righteousness  is 
cast  away,  formal  religious  observances  are  trusted 
in  no  more.  Like  Paul,  "  to  win  Christ  and  be 
found  in  him,"  is  now  all  his  desire. 


112   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

As  in  the  parable  of  *'  The  Hidden  Treasure,"  so 
here,  there  is  a  difference  to  be  noticed  between 
the  parable  and  its  interpretation.  The  merchant 
hougM  the  pearl,  but  we  cannot  buy  salvation.  It 
is  a  free  gift  for  Christ's  sake.  The  terms  are, 
"  Without  money  and  without  price."  Yet  we  must 
be  ready  to  give  up  all  to  gain  it.  The  merchant- 
man parted  with  all  that  he  had,  and  paid  the  value 
of  it  as  the  price  of  the  pearl.  We  too  must  will- 
ingly part  with  all  that  stands  in  the  way  of  our 
salvation,  though  the  price  has  already  been  paid, 
and  we  can  add  nothing  to  it. 

Paul,  we  have  seen,  did  this,  and  gloried  in  the 
choice  he  had  made.  But  we  read  of  one  who, 
though  he  knew  of  the  pearl,  and  in  some  degree 
felt  its  value,  yet  could  not  make  up  his  mind  to 
give  up  all  for  it,  "Go  and  sell  what  thou  hast," 
said  our  Lord  to  the  rich  young  man,  "  and  give  to 
the  poor,  and  thou  shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven : 
and  come  and  follow  me.  But  when  the  j^oung 
man  heard  that  sajdng,  he  went  away  sorrowful: 
for  he  had  great  possessions."  Alas!  hearing  of 
the  "Pearl  of  great  price"  is  not  enough  to  make  a 
man  choose  it,  and  seek  it,  and  give  up  all  to  gain 
it.  Numbers  hear  of  it,  yet  see  no  value  in  it. 
Numbers  who  do  see  something  desirable  in  it,  yei 
love  the  world  better.  In  a  Christian  land  almost 
all  hear  of  the  pearl,  but  how  man}''  are  seeking  it 
in  truth  ? 

This  merchantman  is  our  example,  and  that  in 
two  points :  he  set  the  pearl  at  its  right  value,  and 
be  sought  it  without  delay. 


THE  PEAllL  OF  GREAT  PRICE.        113 

Our  pearl  is  more  precious  than  his ;  it  is  worth 
more  thau  all  besides.  Let  us  value  it  accordiugly. 
Let  us  remember  those  solemn  words,  "  What  shall 
it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world, 
and  lose  his  own  soul?"  Let  us  be  like  the  mer- 
chantman, and  like  the  apostle  Paul,  not  like  the 
rich  young  man.  Ho  went  away  sorrowful.  Ah ! 
well  he  might. 

The  merchantman,  having  made  up  his  mind  as 
to  the  value  of  the  pearl,  lost  no  time  in  making  it 
his  own.  It  was  not  safe  to  hesitate.  While  he 
delayed,  another  might  get  it  before  him.  He 
"went  and  sold  all  that  he  had,  and  bought  it." 
Time  is  precious  with  us  too.  It  is  not  safe  to 
delay.  The  pearl  may  be  ours  now;  but  if  we  now 
neglect  to  secure  it,  it  will  one  day  be  out  of  our 
reach.  None  can  tell  how  much  longer  the  gospel 
invitation  may  be  made  to  him  ;  but  this  is  certain, 
that  he  who  is  hearing  it  continually,  and  yet  put- 
ting off  accepting  it,  is  in  awful  danger.  He  is 
trilling  with  God,  and  provoking  him  to  cut  short 
his  opportunity.  The  only  time  for  securing  the 
pearl  is  now;  the  only  time  in  which  God  makes 
the  offer,  the  only  time  that  we  are  sure  of  having. 
Delay  ma}^  cost  us  the  loss  of  the  pearl,  a  loss 
never  to  be  repaired.  "  Behold,  now  is  the  accept- 
ed time;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salvation." 


114       THE  PAKABLES  OF   OUE  LOKD. 


XIV. 

fHE    Gospel    Net. 

"Again,  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  net  that  was  cast^ 
into  the  sea,  and  gathered  of  every  kind  ;  which,  when  it  was  full, 
they  drew  to  shore,  and  sat  down,  and  gathered  the  good  into 
vessels,  but  cast  the  bad  away.  So  shall  it  be  at  the  end  of  the 
world  :  the  angels  shall  come  forth,  and  sever  the  wicked  from 
among  the  just,  and  shall  cast  them  into  the  furnace  of  fire  :  there 
shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth."     Matt.  13  :  47-50. 

EVEEAL  of  our  Lord's  disciples  were 
fisliermeu;  mucli  of  liis  ministiy  was 
passed  by  tJie  sea  of  Galilee;  we  find  liim 
on  various  occasions  making  use  of  a  fish- 
ing-boat for  crossing  tliat  inland  sea  or 
lake,  and  once  at  least  he  preached  from 
one.  Such  a  scene  as  that  described  in  this  para- 
ble might  be  seen  there  any  day,  and  may  be  still. 
For  fishermen  still  ply  their  business  on  those 
waters;  their  boats  still  cross  from  side  to  side; 
their  nets  are  still  let  down  for  a  draught,  and  at 
other  times  may  be  seen  spread  on  the  rocks. 

A  net  must  of  necessity  gather  "of  every  kind," 
the  bad  as  well  as  the  good,  the  worthless  as  well 
as  the  useful.  The  separation  takes  place  after- 
wards. Then  the  bad  are  cast  away  and  the  good 
are  kept.  This  is  done  now,  wherever  net-fishing 
is  practised,  just  as  it  was  done  of  old.  There  are 
few  crafts  which  have  changed  less  than  that  of  the 
fisherman. 


THE  GOSPEL  NET.  115 

This  parable,  therefore,  in  its  story  part,  is  a 
very  plain  one,  and  as  plain  to  us  as  it  was  to  those' 
■\vho  first  heard  it.* 

Our  Lord  has  made  the  spiritual  meaning  equal- 
ly clear.     He  himself  explained  it. 

First,  he  gives  us  to  understand  that  the  para- 
ble is  meant  to  represent  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven," 
that  is,  the  visible  church  of  Christ,  or  God's  gov- 
ernment on  earth  under  the  gospel.  In  other 
words,  what  fishermen  do  in  gathering  all  kinds  of 
fish  into  their  net,  and  then  separating  the  bad 
from  the  good,  is  like  what  almighty  God  is  doing 
now,  and  will  do  hereafter,  with  regard  to  men. 

The  visible  church  embraces  people  of  every 
kind.  As  the  net  gathers  of  every  kind,  so  does 
the  gospel.  True  believers  and  mere  professors, 
sj)iritual  Christians  and  heartless  formalists,  the 
careless  and  thoughtless,  the  undecided,  the  hypo- 
crite, the  deceiver  of  others  and  of  himself,  all  these 
may  be  found  within  the  visible  church,  the  gen- 
eral body  of  those  who  call  themselves  Christians. 

How  great  a  difference  there  may  be  even  among 
the  members  of  one  congregation!  They  sit  side 
by  side,  they  unite  in  the  same  prayer,  they  hear 
the  same  preaching,  yet  how  vast  a  difference  there 
may  be  among  them  in  the  sight  of  God  !  He  sees 
the  hearts  of  all,  and  it  is  by  the  heart  that  he 
judges.  Man  himself  would  separate  between  the 
grossly  wicked  and  the  pious;  between  the  thief, 
the  swearer,  the  drunkard,  the  Sabbath-breaker  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  man  of  consistent  godly  life 
on  the  other.     But  God  sees  farther  than  man ; 


116   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUK  LOKD. 

and  mucli  that  is  respectable  in  the  eyes  of  men  is 
not  approved  by  him.  "  Without  faith  it  is  impos- 
sible to  please  God."  Only  he  who  is  of  a  penitent 
and  contrite  heart,  and  rests  his  hope  on  his  Sav- 
iour, and  seeks  to  serve  and  glorify  him,  is  accepted 
and  ajjproved  by  God. 

But  this  mixture  is  only  for  a  time.  When  the 
•net  was  full,  it  was  drawn  to  shore,  and  the  separa- 
tion was  made.  When  the  gospel  net  shall  be  full — 
that  is,  when  God  shall  see  fit  to  put  an  end  to  the 
present  state  of  things — then  likewise  a  separation 
will  be  made.  The  fishermen  would  not  suffer  the 
bad  fish  to  be  among  the  good.  None  but  good 
should  be  put  into  the  vessels.  The  rest  must  be 
thrown  away  as  useless,  and  worse  than  useless. 
In  like  manner,  when  the  great  day  shall  come, 
God,  by  his  angels,  will  "sever  the  wicked  from 
among  the  jusfc."  They  must  stay  where  they  are 
no  longer.  The  hj'pocrite,  the  formalist,  the  care- 
less, the  profane,  the  undecided,  may  no  longer  be 
with  the  true  servants  of  God.  They  must  now  be 
parted,  parted  for  ever.  The  righteous  will  go  to 
their  place,  the  place  which  was  purchased  for  them 
by  their  Redeemer's  blood,  and  which  he  himself 
went  before  to  prepare  for  them ;  and  the  wicked 
must  go  to  theirs.  They  cannot  escape  now,  for 
they  despised  the  day  of  grace,  and  the  day  of  grace 
is  past.  They  cannot  escape  now;  they  can  never 
escape.  They  must  be  cast  "into  the  furnace  of 
fire :  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth." 

"But  this  is  for  the  tviclccd,"  some  may  say. 
"  Must  all  who  are  not  classed  amono;  tlie  righteous 


THE   GOSPEL  NET.  117 

bo  placed  with  the  wicked?"  Even  so.  There  is 
no  phace  between  the  abode  of  the  righteous  and 
that  of  the  wicked ;  in  the  sight  of  God  there  is  no 
cliaracler  between  these  two.  All  the  fish  gathered 
into  the  net  were  either  good  or  bad ;  all  were 
either  put  into  vessels,  or  thrown  away.  There  was 
no  middle  sort,  not  good  enough  to  be  kept,  yet  not 
bad  enough  to  be  thrown  away.  So  every  soul  will 
be  placed  either  among  the  righteous  or  among  the 
wicked.  The  angels  will  leave  none  but  the  just 
among  the  just.  There  will  be  no  confusion  or  mis- 
\  take  in  that  division.  Every  one  whose  name  is  not 
written  in  the  book  of  life  will  be  cast  into  the  lake 
of  fire.  There  is  no  middle  class,  no  middle  place. 
How  solemnly  does  this  parable  speak  to  all! 
How  it  should  lead  us  to  deep  searchings  of  heart ! 
For  we  are  all  concerned  here.  We  are  all  now 
gathered  into  the  gospel  net,  and  we  shall  all  have 
a  part  in  that  separation ;  none  will  be  mere  look- 
ers-on. Where  shall  we  be  placed  then  ?  Shall  we 
be  numbered  among  the  just?  Are  we  so  noiu? 
Does  the  all-seeing  Eye  behold  us  this  very  daj^  as 
'  true  children  of  God,  real  believers.  Christians  in 
heart  as  well  as  in  name  ?  Oh,  if  not,  let  this  par- 
able be  as  a  quickening  and  awakening  voice  from 
God  himself.  Let  there  be  no  self-deception^  no 
stifling  of  conscience,  no  vain  and  unscriptural  hope 
that  things  may  not,  after  all,  be  as  they  are  repre- 
sented. They  icill  be.  Nothing  can  alter  the  word 
of  God.  The  only  wisdom,  the  only  safety,  is  noiv 
to  seek  Jesus  with  all  the  heart,  and  thus  to  make 
sure  of  being  found  in  him  at  last. 


118       THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD*. 


XV. 

The  New  Cloth,  and  the- New  Wine. 

"Then  came  to  him  the  disciples  of  John,  sajiug,  Why  do  we 
and  the  Pharisees  fast  oft,  but  thy  disciples  fast  not  ?  And  Jesus 
said  unto  them.  Can  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber  mourn,  as 
long  as  the  bridegroom  is  with  them?  but  the  days  will  come, 
when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  from  them,*and  then  shall 
they  fast.  No  man  putteth  a  piece  of  new  cloth  unto  an  old  gar- 
ment, for  that  which  is  jiut  in  to  till  it  up  taketh  from  the  gar- 
ment, and  the  rent  is  made  worse.  Neither  do  men  put  new  wine 
into  old  bottles  :  else  the  bottles  break,  and  the  wine  runneth  out, 
and  the  bottles  perish  :  biTt  they  put  new  ■ndne  into  new  bottles, 
and  both  ai'e  preserved."  Matt.  9  :  14-17  ;  see  also  Mark  2,  and 
Ltjke  5. 


HIS  double  parable  was  spoken  by  our 

Lord  in  answer  to  a  question,  and  must 

therefore  be  considered  in  connection  witli 


"  The  disciples  of  John  and  of  the  Phar- 
isees," St.  Mark  tells  us,  "  used  to  fast." 
The  Pharisees  were  alwaj's  trj-ing  to  entrap  our 
Lord  with  questions,  and  it  was  they  probably  who 
set  on  the  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist  to  come 
and  ask  our  Lord  why  his  disciples  did  not  fast  too. 
As  for  John's  disciples,  they  most  likely  asked  the 
question  in  all  sincerity,  surprised  at  seeing  the  dis- 
ciples of  Christ  neglect  what  they  considered  a  reli- 
gious duty,  and  really  desiring  to  know  the  reason. 
Our  Lord  told  them  the  reason.  It  was  two- 
fold.    First,  it  was  not  a  right  time  for  his  disci' 


NEW  CLOTH  AND  NEW  WINE.         119 

pies  to  fast,  because  he  was  still  Avilli  tliem.  Fast- 
ing is  suited  to  a  time  of  sadness  and  Immiliatiou, 
not  to  a  season  of  joy.  He  called  himself  "  the 
bridegroom,"  and  his  disciples  "the  children  of  the 
bride-chamber,"  that  is,  the  bridegroom's  friends 
and  companions.  While  the  bridegroom  was  with 
them,  they  could  not  fast,  for  it  was  a  time  of  joy; 
but  soon  he  Avas  to  be  taken  away  from  them,  and 
then  they  might  properly  fast,  for  that  would  be  to 
them  a  time  of  sadness  and  loneliness  and  need. 

The  other  reason  Avas  that  our  Lord's  disciples 
were  at  present  but  young  in  the  faith,  and  there- 
fore weak.  They  could  not  yet  bear  all  that  they 
would  be  able  to  bear  when  more  established.  Our 
Lord,  therefore,  would  deal  gently  with  them,  and 
not  lay  on  them  too  heavy  a  burden.  True,' they 
were  to  take  up  the  cross  and  follow  him ;  yet,  in 
his  mercy  and  compassion,  he  would  bring  them  to 
it  by  d'egrees.  When  they  should  have  gained  more 
experience,  and  when  they  should  have  received  the 
strengthening  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  they 
should  fast,  then  they  should  learn  more  completely 
to  subdue  the  flesh,  and  to  practise  the  duties  of 
self-denial  for  his  sake. 

It  is  this  last  reason  that  our  Lord  explains  more 
fully  by  means  of  the  parable. 

The  new  cloth  would  not  match  the  old,  either 
in  look  or  in  strength.  The  two  would  not  wear 
evenly;  the  shrinking  of  the  new  stuflf  would  be 
likely  to  tear  the  old,  and  so  the  rent  would  be 
made  worse  rather  than  better.  The  new  cloth 
would  be  too  new  and  strong  for  the  old  garment. 


120   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

lu  like  manner  it  would  not  be  wise  to  put  new 
wine  into  old  bottles.  Bottles  were  then  made,  not 
of  glass,  but  of  skins  of  leather ;  and  the  leather  in 
time  grew  weak,  and  could  not  bear  the  motion  and 
fermentation  of  new  wine,  though  it  might  be  still 
strong  enough  to  hold  old  wine  safely.  New  wine 
must  therefore  be  put  into  new  and  strong  bottles. 

The  meaning  of  both  parts  of  the  parable  is  the 
same.  As  new  cloth  was  ill-suited  to  an  old  gar- 
ment, and  new  wine  must  not  be  put  into  old  bot- 
tles, so  the  disciples,  in  their  weakness,  must  not 
have  laid  upon  them  at  present  an  unsuitable  bur- 
den. They  were  but, beginners  as  yet,  "  babes  in 
Christ,"  and  must  be  dealt  with  accordinglj^  Just 
as  the  garment  would  be  torn  worse,  and  the  bot- 
tles would  be  burst  and  the  wine  spilled,  unless  cau- 
tion and  judgment  were  shown,  so  these  new  and 
inexperienced  disciples  would  be  likely  to  receive 
injury,  to  be  discouraged,  perhaps  even  to  be*turned 
back  altogether,  if  hastily  or  harshly  treated.  Such 
was  not  our  Lord's  way  of  dealing  with  any.  "  He 
shall  feed  his  flock  like  a  shepherd :  he  shall  gather 
the  lambs  with  his  arm,  and  carry  them  in  his  bo- 
som, and  shall  gently  lead  those  that  are  with 
young."  "  A  bruised  reed  shall  he  not  break,  and 
the  smoking  flax  shall  he  not  quench.*'  "I  have 
yet  many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot 
bear  them  now."  "  And  with  many  such  parables 
spake  he  the  word  unto  them,  as  they  were  able  to 
hear  it."  Thus  gently  and  tenderly  was  it  foretold 
that  our  Lord  would  deal,  and  thus  did  he  in  truth 
deal  with  his  disciples  and  with  all  who  came  to 


NEW   CLOTH  AND  NEW  WINE.         121 

learu  of  liim;  not  putting  a  needless  difficulty  in 
the  way  of  am',  lest  they  should  be  discouraged 
and  turn  back;  feeding  them  at  first  with  milk,  and 
not  with  strong  meat,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it. 
In  St.  Luke's  account  we  find  these  words  added, 
as  spoken  by  our  Lord :  "  No  man  also  having 
drunk  old  wine  straightway  desiueth  new,  for  he 
eaitli  the. old  is  better." 

The  ministers  of  religion,  and  likewise  parents 
and  all  who  have  to  do  with  the  training  of  the 
j'oung,  would  do  well  to  follow  our  Lord's  teaching 
and  example  here.  AVe  must  deal  gently  with  be- 
ginners. We  must  remember  that  children  are  but 
children.  Our  zeal  must  be  tempered  with  wisdom, 
and  softened  by  gentleness.  Especially  in  out^vard 
observances,  such  .as  fasting,  and  indeed  in  all  the 
severer  duties  of  religion,  much  tenderness  must 
be  used  in  dealing  with  those  who  are  "babes  in 
Christ."  Our  Lord  pronounced  a  strong  condem- 
nation upon  those  who  should  "  offend  one  of  these 
little  ones."  He  meant  those  who  should  do  so 
wilfully ;  let  us  take  care  lest,  though  without  mean- 
ing it,  yet  through  want  of  gentleness  and  consid- 
eration, we  put  a  stumbling-block  in  the  way  of  a 
3'oung  disciple. 

"With  regard  also  to  the  general  question  of 
fasting,  we  see  in  this  teaching  of  our  Lord  the  free 
and  merciful  spirit  of  the  gospel.  The  disciples  of 
the  Pharisees,  and  John's  discii^les  too,  used  to  fast 
often,  but  our  Lord's  disciples  did  not  fast  at  that 
time.  Yet  we  know  that  the  Pharisees,  as  a  body, 
were  greatly  in  fault;  they  Avere  strict  in  the  out- 


122   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

"ward  parts  of  religion,  but  neglected  the  religion  of 
the  heart  and  life.  We  know  less  about  the  disci- 
ples of  John,  but  it  is  plain  that,  while  their  master 
himself  believed  in  Jesus  and  tried  to  point  others 
to  him  as  the  Messiah,  these  men  were  still  disci- 
ples of  John  only,  and  had  never  gone  on  to  believe 
in  Him  of  whom  John  testified.  There  was  some- 
thing faulty  therefore  in  ^/^e/r- religion  too  ;  and  it  is 
jDrobable  that  they,  like  the  Pharisees,  had  too  much 
of  the  form  and  too  little  of  the  spirit,  and  were  in 
some  measure  in  bondage  to  outward  observances. 
But  the  religion  of  Christ  is  no  bondage,  and  his 
service  is  no  hard  service.  True,  every  thought 
must  be  brought  into  captivity  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ,  and  the  flesh  must  be  subdued,  and  the  body 
must  be  brought  under,  jet  all  in  the  spirit  of  the 
liberty  of  the  gospel.  The  disciples  of  John  would 
doubtless  have  thought  it  grievous  sin  to  omit  one 
stated  time  for  fasting;  the  disciples  of  Jesus,  on 
the  other  hand,  had  no  such  stated  times  appointed 
for  them.  Their  Master  taught  them  much  of  the 
spiritual  part  of  religion :  he  taught  them  to  pra}', 
to  be  humble  and  holy,  to  have  faith,  to  love  one 
another,  to  be  bold  in  owning  him,  and  to  delight 
in  serving  him ;  but  he  did  not  teach  them  much 
about  outward  observances.  Not  that  he  treated 
them  as  of  no  importance,  but  he  would  have  his 
disciples  consider  them  in  their  proper  place ;  doing 
them,  but  n'ot  leaving  the  others  undone.  And  as 
for  fasting,  they  were  not  to  do  that  while  they  had 
the  joy  of  his  presence;  for  it  is  not  a  hard  duty,  to 
be  performed  at  all  times  and  under  all  circum- 


NEW  CLOTH   AND  NEW  WINE.         123 

stances.  There  is  a  time  for  all  things ;  and  more 
than  that,  there  ought  to  be  an  aim  and  object  in  all 
religious  observances.  They  should  not  be  blindly 
kept,  as  if  the  observances  themselves  Avere  all ;  that 
would  be  against  the  whole  spirit  of  the  gospel. 

Yet  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  our  Lord  said, 
"  But  the  days  will  come  when  the  bridegroom  shall 
be  taken  away  from  them,  and  then  shall  they  fast 
in  those  days."  The  bridegroom,  Christ  our  Lord, 
is  absent  from  us  now  in  bodily  presence,  though 
with  us  by  the  Spirit ;  these  words  therefore  apply 
to  us.  Indeed,  even  while  he  was  with  the  disci- 
ples, there  were  special  occasions  on  which  fasting- 
was  right,  as  when  our  Lord  said  of  the  evil  spirit 
whom  they  could  not  cast  out,  "This  kind  goeth  not 
out  but  by  prayer  and  fasting."  Fasting  is  now 
therefore  a  scriptural  observance.  But  it  must  be 
done  in  a  scriptural  spirit ;  and  on  that  point  we 
are  not  without  our  Lord's  instruction :  "  Thou,  when 
thou  fastest,  anoint  thy  head,  and  Avash  thy  face ; 
that  thou  appear  not  unto  men  to  fast,  but  unto  th}- 
Father  Avhicli  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father,  Avhich 
seeth  in  secret,  shall  reward  thee  openly." 

There  were  some  among  the  Jews  who  fasted 
from  an  ostentatious  motive,  that  they  might  Avin  a 
high  character  for  holiness  among  men.  Such  fast- 
ing must  be  an  abomination  to  God,  Avhether  among 
JeAvs  or  Christians.  But  the  words  of  our  Lord  seem 
to  point  to  something  farther  still.  True  fasting  is 
a  thing  of  the  heart.  There  may  rightly  be  such 
moderation  and  abstinence  in  the  use  of  food  as 
will  help  devotion,  by  preserving  the  mind  clear, 


124   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

and  biiugiDg  the  flesh  more  into  subjection  to  the 
spirit ;  but  there  should  also  be  an  inward  fasting, 
a  humbling  of  the  heart  before  God,  a  mortification 
of  pride  and  self,  a  restraint  upon  the  inclinations. 
Thus,  in  the  inward  thoughts  as  well  as  in  the  out- 
ward act,  we  should  deny  ourselves;  and  in  this 
way  we  shall  be  held  in  the  sight  of  God  to  fast, 
even  though  no  change  in  our  habits  be  seen  by 
men.  That  fasting  has  been  abused  both  of  old 
and  also  in  modern  times,  through  formality  and 
superstition,  is  no  reason  against  a  right  fasting. 
Our  Lord  himself  said,  "  And  then  shall  they  fast 
in  those  days;"  and  taught  both  Avhat  to  avoid  in 
fasting,  and  how  to  fast  aright ;  and  we  know  from 
Scripture  that,  when  their  Lord  had  been  taken 
from  them,  the  apostles  and  early  Christians  did 
fast  as  well  as  pray. 


TRUE  DEFILEMENT.  125 

XVI. 

True  Defilement. 

"And  he  called  the  multitude,  and  said  unto  them.  Hear,  and 
understand  :  not  that  Mhich  goeth  into  the  mouth  defileth  a  man; 
but  that  which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth,  this  defileth  a  man.  .  .  . 
Then  answered  Peter  and  said  unto  him,  Declare  unto  ns  this  par- 
able. And  Jesus  said,  Are  ye  also  yet  without  understanding? 
Do  not  ye  yet  understand,  that  whatsoever  entereth  in  at  the 
mouth  goeth  into  the  belly,  and  is  cast  out  into  the  draught? 
But  those  things  which  proceed  out  of  the  mouth  come  forth  from 
the  heart ;  and  they  defile  the  man.  For  out  of  the  heart  proceed 
evil  thoughts,  murders,  adulteries,  fornications,  thefts,  false  wit- 
ness, blasphemies  :  these  are  the  things  which  defile  a  man  :  but 
to  eat  with  unwashen  hands  defileth  not  a  man."  Matt.  15:10, 
11 ;  15-20  ;  see  also  Mark  7. 

EVEPiAL  of  our  Lord's  parables  were 
spoken  against  the  scribes  and  Phari- 


sees, to  expose  their  errors  and  correct  their 
false  teaching.     This  is  one  of  them. 

The  Jewish  teachers,  among  many  other 
such  outward  points,  w^ere  very  particular 
about  the  washing  of  hands  before  food.  This  was 
one  of  those  "commandments  of  men"  which  they 
had  added  to  the  law  of  God.  They  made  it  a  mat- 
ter, not  of  cleanliness  merely,  but  of  religion;  and 
so  strict  were  they  about  it,  that  they  thought  it  as 
wrong  to 'eat  with  unwashed  hands  as  to  commit 
some  great  moral  crime. 

They  were  much  displeased  therefore  when  they 
saw  the  disciples  eat  without  first  washing  their 


12G       THE  PARABLES  OE   OUR  LORE). 

hands,  find  came  to  our  Lord  "with  this  complaint : 
"  Wliy  do  thy  disciples  transgress  the  tradition  of 
the  elders?  for  they  wash  not  their  hands  when 
they  eat  bread." 

Our  Lord  first  answered  them  by  showing  how 
they  themselves,  on  the  other  hand,  put  the  tradi- 
tion of  the  elders  before  the  commandments  of  God , 
and  then,  turning  from  them,  addressed  himself  to 
the  multitude.  The  common  people  were  accus- 
tomed to  hold  the  teaching  of  the  scribes  in  much 
respect,  and  au}"  objection  made  by  them  would 
have  great  weight  in  their  eyes ;  it  was  necessary 
therefore  that  the  multitude  should  hear  our  Lord's 
reply  as  well  as  the  scribes.  So  "  he  called  the 
multitude,  and  said  unto  them.  Hear  and  under- 
stand :  not  that  which  goeth  into  the  mouth  defileth 
the  man ;  but  that  which  cometh  out  of  the  mouth, 
this  defileth  a  man." 

The  words  were  plain,  yet  it  is  probable  that  the 
multitude  did  not  understand  their  meaning,  for  the 
disciples  certainly  did  not.  Peter  afterwards  asked 
for  an  explanation  of  what  our  Lord  had  said,  speak- 
ing of  it  as  a  parable — "  Declare  unto  us  this  para- 
ble;" and  a  parable  it  was,  though  of  the  simplest 
kind — so  simple  that  the  disciples  ought  to  have 
understood  it  at  once.  "Are  ye  also  yet  without 
understanding?"  said  our  Lord  to  Peter  and  the 
rest;  and  there  is  reproof  in  the  question.  How- 
ever, having  thus  reproved  them  for  their'slowness, 
he  graciously  went  on  to  explain  to  them  fully  what 
he  had  said. 

That  which  goeth  in  at  the  mouth,  he  taught 


Til  HE   DEFILEMENT.  127 

them,  does  not  defile  a  man,  but  that  which  conieth 
out  of  it.  The  heart  is  the  source  and  spring  of 
Avhat  we  saj.  "Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart 
the  mouth  speaketh.  A  good  man  out  of  the  good 
treasure  of  the  heart  bringeth  forth  good  things ; 
and  an  evil  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  bringeth 
forth  evil  things."  Evil  thoughts  have  their  birth 
in  the  heart,  though  they  are  spoken  forth  b}'  the 
mouth.  False  witness,  for  instance,  and  blasphe- 
mies, are  first  thought  in  the  heart,  and  then  uttered 
by  the  mouth.  And  such  things  as  murders,  adul- 
teries, fornications,  and  thefts,  which  have  their 
beginning  in  the  secret  thoughts,  are  talked  of  b}- 
the  mouth,  and  arc  often  planned  and  carried  out 
by  means  of  the  words  that  pass  between  one  per- 
son and  another.  "  These  are  the  things,"  said  our 
Lord,  "which  defile  a  man  :  but  to  eat  with  unwash- 
en  hands  defileth  not  a  man."  There  is  no  sin  in  the 
•latter;  and  whatever  defilement  there  may  be,  it  is 
but  an  outward  defilement,  and  is  quickly  got  rid 
of ;  but  there  is  a  real  defilement  in  sin ;  and  evil 
thoughts,  coming  forth  as  they  do  in  evil  words  and 
evil  deeds,  are  sin :  "  These  are  the  things  which 
defile  a  man."  There  is  a  vast  difference  therefore; 
and  the  Jewish  teachers  were  quite  wrong  in  put- 
ting sudi  a  thing  as  eating  with  unwashen  hands 
on  the  same  footing  with  sins  of  the  heart  and  life 
and  tongue. 

The  chief  lesson  we  are  to  learn  from  this  para- 
ble is,  that  religion  does  not  consist  in  small  out- 
ward observances,  and  that  what  we  are  to  guard 
against  above  all  is  sin.    There  is  danger  of  paying 


128   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

bo  niucli  attention  to  the  outward  forms  and  lesser 
parts  of  religion  as  to  have  the  mind  drawn  away 
from  its  inward  and  spiritual  part.  And  this  is  no 
trifling  danger;  for  an  over-scrupulous  observance 
of  forms  is  apt  to  satisfy  the  mind,  and  to  lull  the 
conscience  to  sleep,  thus  blunting  the  sense  of  spir- 
itual need  and  of  moral  obligation,  and  giving  a 
false  security.  We  see  this  effect  very  plainly  in 
the  case  of  the  Pharisees  and  the  Jewish  teachers. 
They  paid  tithes  of  mint  and  anise  and  cummin, 
but  omitted  the  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judg- 
ment, mercy,  and  faith.  "  These,"  said  our  Lord, 
"  ought  ye  to  have  done,  and  not  to  leave  the  other 
undone."  On  the  same  principle,  they  thought  it 
exceedingly » wrong  to  eat  bread  with  unwashen 
hands,  but  at  the  same  time  made  comparatively 
light  of  real  sins.  We  see  their  fault;  let  us  guard 
against  any  approach  to  it  in  ourselves. 

The  seat  of  evil  is  the  heart ;  and  in  the  heart, 
also,  when  renewed  by  grace  and  sanctified  b}^  the 
Spirit,  is  the  source  and  spring  of  good.  Let  us, 
to  use  plain  words,  begin  at  the  light  end.  Let  us 
fellow  our  Lord's  own  rule ;  not  seeking  merely 
to  make  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  and  of  the 
platter,  but  cleansing  first  that  which  is  within,  that 
the  outside  may  be  clean  also.  If  the  Ireart  be 
diligently  kept,  the  outward  conduct  will  certainly 
show  the  effect;  and  if  the  main  points  in  religion 
be  earnestly  attended  to,  then  the  lesser  matters 
will  not  be  neglected.  Liward  and  spiritual  reli- 
gion will  show  forth  itself  in  all  things,  both  small 
and  great;  and  a  true  and  living  faith  in  Christ, 


TRUE  DEFILEMENT.  129 

and  a  heart  renewed  bj  grace,  will  produce  a  watch- 
ful walk,  and  a  scrupulous  attention  to  every  part 
of  Christian  duty. 

We  cannot  have  too  deep  a  sense  of  the  defiling 
nature  of  sin.  The  world  may  think  lightly  of 
some  sins,  but  in  God's  sight  all  sin  is  hateful ;  and 
some  of  those  sins  which  are  most  lightly  thought 
of  by  men  are  among  those  which  are  most  severely 
condemned  in  the  Avord  of  God.  Sin  indulged  de- 
files the  heart,  the  lips,  the  life.  Nothing  but  the 
blood  of  Jesus  can  cleanse  us  from  the  guilt  of  past 
sins,  and  nothing  but  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  can 
keep  us  from  the  defilement  of  sin  for  the  time  to 
come.  Well  may  Ave  pray  with  the  psalmist,  "Hide 
thy  face  from  my  sins,  and  blot  out  all»mine  iniqui- 
ties. Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God ;  and 
renew  a  right  spirit  Avithin  me." 


G* 


130   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUK  LORD. 

XVII. 

"Jhb   Blind   leading   the    Blind. 

"  Let  them  alone  :  tliey  be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  And  if 
the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  full  into  the  ditch."  Matt. 
15  :  14  ;  see  also  Luke  G  :  39. 

'HIS  is  one  of  the  shortest  aud  simplest 
of  parables.  Indeed,  we  should  have 
rather  called  it  a  proverb,  had  it  not  been 
called  a  parable  by  St.  Lnke.  It  seems  to 
have  been  spoken  by  our  Lord  on  two 
occasions,  one  recorded  by  St.  Matthew, 
the  other  by  St.  Luke ;  but  the  words  in  the  two 
gospels  are  almost  the 'same. 

As  recorded  by  St.  Matthew,  the  parable  was 
spoken  at  the  same  time  as  the  preceding  one  about 
defilement:  in  fact,  it  comes  between  that  parable 
and  our  Lord's  explanation  of  it  to  his  disciples. 

Certain  scribes  and  Pharisees  who  had  come 
from  Jerusalem  complained  to  our  Lord  that  his 
disciples  were  in  the  habit  of  transgressing  "the 
tradition  of  the  elders;"  "for,"  said  they,  "they 
wash  not  their  hands  when  they  eat  bread."  But 
our  Lord  in  reply  brought  a  much  more  serious 
accusation  against  thein:  "Why  do  ye  also  trans- 
gress the  commandment  of  God  by  your  tradition?" 
He  then  pointed  out  to  them  how  they  put  the  ordi- 
nances of  men  above  the  word  of  God,  making  the 
commandment  of  God  of  none  effect  by  their  tradi- 


BLIND  LEADING  THE  BLIND.  131 

tions ;  and  then,  calling  the  people  to  him,  he  warned 
them,  in  the  presence  of  the  scribes,  against  such 
false  teaching.  Afterwards  hearing  that  the  Phar- 
isees were  offended  by  what  he  had  said,  he  added, 
"  Every  plant  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not 
planted  shall  be  rooted  up.  Let  them  alone :  they 
be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  And  if  the  blind  lead 
the  bUnd,  both  shall  fall  into  the  ditch." 

There  is  no  difficulty,  therefore,  in  understand- 
ing this  short  parable.  The  blind  leaders  mean 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees ;  the  blind  who  Avere  led 
mean  the  ignorant  Jews  whom  they  taught;  and  by 
falling  into  the  ditch  we  are  to  understand  going 
astray  as  to  spiritual  things,  wandering  from  true 
doctrine  and  practice,  and  so  coming  k)  ruin,  or  at 
least  suffering  danger  and  loss.  The  people,  there- 
fore, were  not  to  folloAv  such  teachers ;  for,  not 
knowing  the  way  of  God  themselves,  they  could  but 
lead  others  astray. 

The  only  true  spiritual  light  comes  from  God, 
and  this  light  he  has  given  in  his  word.  The 
scribes  and  Pharisees  were  blind  leaders,  because 
they  forsook  the  word  of  God.  This  was  their  fault, 
and  it  was  this  that  made  them  unsafe  teachers. 

All  who  forsake  or  disregard  the  word  of  God 
arc  but  blind  leaders,  for  that  word  is  still  the  only 
sure  guide.  Manners  and  customs,  forms  and  cere- 
monies change,  but  the  word  of  God  remains  the 
same.  The  Jews  had  but  a  portion  of  it ;  we  have 
the  whole.  The  light  which  they  enjoyed,  though 
true,  Avas  but  faint  and  dim,  compared  with  the 
light  of  the  gospel.    So  that  we  may  say,  with  even 


132   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

more  confidence  than  David,  "  Thy  word  is  a  lamp 
unto  my  feet,  and  a  light  unto  my  path."  For  there 
we  find  light  indeed,  and  no  darkness :  the  light  of 
truth,  the  light  of  God,  the  light  which  never  mis- 
leads, the  light  which  guides,  cheers,  and  comforts 
all  who  walk  by  it. 

Yet  there  are  still  blind  leaders,  and  for  the 
same  reason  as  of  old  :  they  do  not  take  the  word 
of  God  as  their  light. 

Some  pay  so  much  attention  to  forms  of  man's 
invention,  that  their  mind  is  drawn  off  from  the 
word  of  God. 

Some  refuse  to  submit  their  understanding  to 
the  word.  They  doubt  and  cavil,  and  find  fancied 
defects,  and  venture  to  set  up  their  own  little  rea- 
son against  the  plain  word  of  Scripture. 

Some,  though  sincere,  have  never  sought  the 
teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  therefore  the  main 
truths  of  the  word  of  God  are  hidden  from  them. 
The  light  is  before  them,  but  the  eyes  of  their  un- 
derstanding are  darkened. 

Some  are  careless.  Though  by  profession  teach- 
ers of  others,  their  heart  is  not  in  their  work.  They 
have  no  knowledge  or  love  of  Christ  in  their  hearts, 
no  concern  for  souls,  no  earnest  desire  to  lead  them 
aright. 

These  are  all  blind  leaders  of  the  blind.  They 
cannot  teach  Avhat  they  do  not  know.  They  cannot 
lead  others  by  a  way  which  they  have  not  found 
themselves.  The  poor  and  ignorant  who  go  to 
them  for  guidance  do  not  find  what  they  seek ;  for 
surely  one  cannot  lead  another  to  Christ  who  has 


BLIND   LEADING  THE   BLIND.         133 

not  sought  liiiii  for  himself,  aud  it  is  hard  to  think 
that  a  soul  can  receive  spiritual  light  by  means  of 
one  who  shows  no  sign  of  having  received  it  him- 
self. 

Where  a  minister  of  the  gospel  preaches  the 
truth  of  God  faithfully,  let  him  be  heard,  honored, 
aud  followed,  however  small  his  gifts  may  be.  He 
may  have  little  power  of  attracting  hearers,  his 
talents  may  be  small,  his  words  void  of  eloquence, 
his  speech  ungraceful ;  yet,  if  the  love  of  Christ  be 
in  his  heart,  and  he  deliver  the  simple  message  of 
the  gospel,  let  him  not  be  despised.  He  is  God's 
servant,  doing  God's  work.      He  is  no  blind  leader. 

Alas,  such  a  teacher  is  often  neglected  for  some 
preacher  of  showj^  style  and  attractive  manner,  Avho 
yet  does  not  preach  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 
There  is  in  our  day,  perhaps  there  has  been  in  all 
days,  too  much  worship  of  talent,  too  little  regard 
to  truth.  Hearers  often  forget  that  the  object  of 
hearing  is,  not  to  be  pleased,  but  to  be  profited  ; 
not  to  have  the  mind  and  the  senses  gratified,  but 
to  learn  the  way  of  salvation,  to  increase  in  the 
knowledge  of  God,  and  to  grow  in  grace. 

The  test  to  which  all  teaching  should  be  brouuht 
is  the  Bible.  "To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony:  if 
they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  because 
there  is  no  light  in  them."  Isa.  8 :  20.  All  reli- 
gious teaching  should  be  judged  b}'  this  rule.  Scrij)- 
tural  truth  is  the  point  of  first  importance;  and  no 
teaching  can  be  really  good  and  wholesome  in  which 
this  is  lacking  or  even  obscured.  As  it  would  be 
the  height   of   follv  to    trust  oneself  to   the  ouid- 


134   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

ance  of  a  blind  man,  so  it  cannot  be  right  or  wise 
to  listen  to  un scriptural  teaching.  A  proud,  cap- 
tious, criticising  spirit  must  indeed  be  guarded 
•against  by  hearers;  but,  in  humility  and  sincerit}^ 
with  an  earnest  desire  to  know  the  truth,  and  to  be 
fed  with  spiritual  food,  it  is  not  only  their  right, 
but  their  duty,  to  judge  Avhat  they  hear  by  the 
standard  of  the  word  of  God. 

There  is  much  cause  for  thankfulness  in  the 
great  increase  of  faithful  ministers  in  our  land. 
The  pure  gospel  is  preached  in  thousands  of  pul- 
pits, and  every  Lord's-day  the  glad  tidings  of  a  free 
salvation  in  Christ  Jesus  is  spread  far  and  wide. 

For  those  who  are  still  "blind  leaders"  there  is 
one  thing  which  all  who  love  the  truth  may  do :  at 
least  they  can  pray  for  them.  There  is  not  one  now 
walking  in  the  light  who  did  not  receive  that  light 
from  above ;  and  there  is  not  a  faithful  teacher  of 
the  truth  who  was  not  himself  first  taught  of  God. 
God  can  still  enlighten  those  who  are  in  darkness, 
and  cause  the  "blind  leader"  to  become  an  enlight- 
ened and  faithful  guide. 

Let  those  who  are  placed  by  God's  providence 
where  the  truth  is  faithfully  proclaimed  bless  God 
for  this  great  mercy,  and  seek  earnestly  to  bring 
forth  fruit  to  his  glory.  Let  those  whose  lot  is  less 
happily  cast  make  it  a  matter  of  continual  and  per- 
severing prayer  that  God  Avill  give  his  Holy  Spirit, 
and  bring  both  teachers  and  hearers  into  true  gos- 
pel light.  And  let  their  prayer  be  the  prayer  of 
faith. 


THE  UNFOUGIVING  SEllVAXT.        135 


xviir. 

The  Pnforgiying   3eryant. 

"Then  came  Peter  to  liiin,  and  said,  Lord,  how  oft  shall  ni}' 
brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  till  seven  times  ?  Jesus 
saith  unto  him,  I  say  not  nnto  thee,  Until  seven  times,  but,  Until 
seventy  times  seven.  Thei"cfore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  likened 
iinto  a  certain  king,  which  -wotild  take  account  of  his  servants. 
And  when  he  had  begun  to  reckon,  one  was  brought  unto  him, 
which  owed  him  ten  thousand  talents.  Ent  forasmuch  as  he  had 
not  to  pay,  his  lord  commanded  him  to  be  sold,  and  his  wife,  and 
children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and  payment  to  be  made.  The  ser- 
vant therefore  fell  down,  and  worshipped  him,  saying.  Lord,  have 
patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  Then  the  lord  of  that 
servant  was  moved  with  compassion,  and  loosed  him,  and  forgave 
him  the  debt.  But  the  same  servant  went  out,  and  found  one  of 
his  fellow-servants,  which  owed  him  a  hundred  pence  :  and  he 
laid  hands  on  him,  and  took  him  by  the  throat,  saying,  Pay  me 
that  thou  owest.  And  his  feMow-servant  fell  doAvn  at  his  feet, 
and  besought  him,  saying.  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay 
thee  all.  And  he  would  not :  but  went  and  cast  him  into  jirison, 
till  he  should  pay  the  debt.  So  when  his  fellow-servants  saw  \vhat 
was  done,  they  were  verj'  sorry,  and  came  and  told  unto  their  lord 
all  that  was  done.  Then  his  lord,  after  that  he  had  called  him, 
said  unto  him,  0  thou  Avicked  servant,  I  foi'gavc  thee  all  that  debt, 
because  thou  dcsiredst  me  :  shouldest  not  thou  also  have  had  com- 
passion on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as  I  had  pity  on  thee  ?  And 
his  lord  was  wroth,  and  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,  till  he 
should  pay  all  that  was  due  unto  him.  So  likewise  shall  my  heav- 
enly Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive  not 
every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses."     M.\tt.  18  :  21-3.). 

HIS  parable  is  nieaiit  to  teach  us  Iioav  a 
Christian  ought  to  forgive.     It  arose 

oui  Peter's  question,  "  Lord,  how  oft  shall 
niy  brother  sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive 
him?    till  seven   times?"'      Peter  thourrht 


136   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUK  LORD. 

that  beyond  a  certain  number  of  times  he  was  not 
bound  to  forgive  one  who  should  have  injured  him  ; 
and  probably  he  thought  that  to  do  so  as  often  as 
seven  times  Avould  be  a  great  stretch  of  forgiveness. 
But  our  Lord  taught  him  and  us  that  there  should 
be  no  bounds  whatever  to  a  Christian's  forgiveness. 
"  I  say  not  unto  thee,  Until  seven  times ;  but,  Until 
seventy  times  seven :"  that  is,  as  often  as  occasion 
should  arise,  however  often  that  might  be.  And 
then  he  went  on  to  enforce  the  lesson  by  a  striking 
parable. 

Like  so  many  others,  this  parable  begins  M^tli 
the  words,  "  Therefore  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
likened."  It  represents  what  might  take  place,  not 
among  heathen  people,  but  among  those  to  whom 
the  gospel  was  known.  It  sets  before  us  a  gospel 
scene,  gospel  obligations,  and  a  gospel  standard  of 
forgiveness.  It  show^s  how  a  Christian,  as  distin- 
guished from  all  other  men,  is  bound  to  forgive. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  sa}^,  that  the  king  means 
God,  the  servant  a  professing  Christian,  and  his  fel- 
low-servant another  professing  Cliristian,  or  at  least 
a  fellow-man. 

The  sum  owed  by  the  servant  to  the  king  was 
ten  thousand  talents— a  vast  sum ;  equal,  according 
to  the  lowest  reckoning,  to  nearly  ten  millions  of 
our  money.  This  enormous  debt  represents  what 
we  owe  to  God's  justice  on  account  of  our  sins,  our 
shortcomings,  our  neglected  duties,  our  slighted 
obligations. 

It  was  impossible  that  the  man  should  ever  pay 
such  a  sum.     What  must  be  done?     According  to 


THE  UNFOEGIVING  SEllVANT.        137 

the  practice  of  that  age  and  coiintiy,  he  must  be 
sold  into  slaver}' ;  "  and  his  wife,  and  children,  and 
all  that  he  had,"  must  be  sold  too,  to  go  as  far  as 
might  be  towards  payment  of  the  debt.  We  like- 
wise can  never  pay  what  we  owe  to  the  justice  of 
God.  Of  all  our  countless  sins,  we  cannot  make 
amends  for  one.  On  the  contrary',  through  the 
weakness  of  our  sinful  nature,  we  are  continually 
sinning  afresh,  and  so  increasing  the  debt.  We  are 
therefore  by  nature  under  condemnation.  We  must 
receive  the  punishment  due  for  our  sins.  Nothing 
lies  before  us  but  to  be  banished  from  the  presence 
of  God  for  ever. 

But  now  the  gospel  comes  in.  The  king  in  the 
parable,  moved  with  compassion  for  the  hopeless 
misery  of  his  debtor,  listened  to  his  prayer;  and 
knowing  that,  try  as  he  might,  he  could  never  pay 
such  a  sum,  forgave  him  all.  The  man  did  but  ask 
for  time :  "  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay 
thee  all;"  but  the  king  forgave  him  the  whole  debt, 
at  once  and  for  ever.  Thus  does  God  forgive  sin- 
ners. Jesus  Christ,  his  dear  Son,  has  made  a  full 
atonement  for  sin  b}^  his  blood,  and  in  the  gospel 
forgiveness  is  offered  to  all— free,  full,  present,  and 
eternal  forgiveness. 

The  sum  which  the  fellow-servant  owed  was  only 
a  hundred  pence,  not  much  more  than  three  pounds 
sterling — a  mere  trifle,  not  to  be  compared  with  the 
vast  sura  which  had  been  owing  to  the  king.  In 
like  manner,  the  oflfences  which  one  man  commits 
against  another  are  nothing  in  comparison  with  man's 
offences  against  God.     Let  a  man  have  received  re- 


138   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUE  LOKD. 

peated  and  undeserved  injuries  from  another ;  let 
liim  have  been  treated  both  unkindly  and  unjustlj, 
and  provoked  in  a  thousand  ways ;  yet  what  does 
all  this  amount  to,  when  viewed  in  comparison  with 
that  man's  own  sins  against  God?  His  fellow- 
man's  offences  against  him,  many  as  they  may  seem 
when  he  counts  them  over  in  his  mind  one  after 
another,  have  been  but  few  and  far  between  after  all. 
But  every  day  he  himself  has  sinned  against  God. 
His  offences,  his  shortcomings,  his  inconsistent  ac- 
tions, his  unguarded  words,  his  uuliolj^  thouglits — 
if  he  were  to  set  himself  to  number  them,  would 
be  found  to  be  beyond  all  reckoning.  Many  he  has 
forgotten,  of  many  he  took  little  or  no  notice ;  yet 
all  were  sins,  all  items  in  the  great  account,  all 
swelling  the  debt.  A  hundred  pence  to  ten  thou- 
sand talents !  Such  are  one  man's  offences  against 
another  man,  conipared  to  a  man's  sins  against 
God. 

"We  are  filled  with  indignation  against  the  ser- 
vant in  the  parable.  Had  he  no  gratitude?  no 
sense  of  his  own  escape?  no  feeling  of  the  un- 
bounded kindness  he  had  received  ?  With  the 
words  of  forgiveness  still  sounding  in  his  ears,  how 
could  he  go  forth  from  the  very  scene  of  his  deliv- 
erance, and  show  himself  so  hard  and  unforgiving  ? 
How  was  it  that  even  the  words  of  his  fellow-ser- 
vant, "  Have  patience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee 
all,"  did  not  recall  to  his  mind  the  very  same  words 
so  lately  spoken  by  him  out  of  the  depth  of  his  dis- 
tress, and  so  compassionately  heard  ?  The  feeling 
is  a  right  feeling ;  it  is  no  more  than  a  just  indigna- 


THE   UXFOEGIVING   SEllVANT.        139 

"tion  that  is  thus  stirred  within  us.  But  let  us  look 
to  it  that  "\ve  ourselves  come  not  under  the  same 
condemnation.  We  have  received  forgiveness  of 
that  great  debt  whicli  Ave  owed  to  the  justice  of 
God  ;  at  least  the  offer  of  forgiveness  has  been 
made  to  us  in  Christ  Jesus.  Yet  have  we  never 
indulged  an  unforgiving  spirit  towards  a  fellow- 
creature?  "We  may  not  perhaps  have  gone  so  far 
as  to  refuse  the  prayer  of  one  who  came  with  tears 
and  owned  his  fault,  and  begged  us  to  forgive  him. 
But  how  have  we  felt  towards  those  who  have  in- 
jured us  ?  When  provoked  by  others,  what  is  now 
our  conduct?  When  tried  by  bitter  words,  what 
ansAver  do  we  return?  Do  we  check  the  rising 
anger  ?  Do  we  strive  to  overcome  the  natural  feel- 
ing of  resentment?  Do  we  return  good  for  evil? 
Do  we  forgive,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath 
forgiven  lis  ?  It  is  in  this  way  that  we  are  to  apply 
the  parable  to  ourselves. 

What  can  be  more  stern  and  awful  than  the 
■words  of  the  king  to  the  unforgiving  servant  ?  He 
speaks  to  him  in  the  severest  displeasure.  The  par- 
don is  revoked.  The  king  would  forgive  a  debt  of 
ten  thousand  talents,  but  he  would  not  forgive  that 
hard-hearted  ingratitude.  Now  he  must  be  deliv- 
ered "  to  the  tormentors  till  he  should  pay  all  that 
was  due  from  him."  Our  Lord  himself  brings  home 
the  application  to  ns:  "So  likewise  shall  my  lieav- 
eul}'  Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts 
forgive  not  every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses." 
God  absolutely  requires -ais  to  forgive  one  another. 
By  liis  infinite  mercy,  his  boundless  compassion, 


140   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

his  free  forgiveness,  lie  lays  upon  us  this  obligation. 
Even  when  he  bids  us  seek  forgiveness  of  him,  it  is 
in  these  words :  "  Forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  for- 
give our  debtors."  We  cannot  even  seek  pardon 
for  ourselves,  while  we  harbor  an  unforgiving  spirit 
towards  another.  How  then  can  one  who  has 
received  pardon  refuse  to  pardon  another  ?  How 
can  he  who  has  felt  the  burd,en  of  his  sins,  then 
gone  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  and  there  received  full 
and  free  forgiveness,  the  purchase  of  the  Redeem- 
er's blood — how  can  he  who  has  thus  been  forgiven 
the  ten  thousand  talents  of  his  countless  trans- 
gressions feel  any  thing  but  a  jDerfect  readiness  to 
forgive,  freely  and  fully,  a  fellow-creature  who  has 
done  him  wrong,  a  wrong  that  can  be  but  as  a  hun- 
dred pence,  a  trifle,  a  mere  nothing,  comj)ared  with 
that  debt  of  sin  ? 

The  man  in  the  parable  was  at  first  forgiven, 
though  the  pardon  was  afterwards  revoked;  but  he 
who  under  the  gospel  refuses  to  forgive  his  brother, 
can  never  himself  have  been  forgiven.  He  has  re- 
ceived the  offer,  and  that  lays  him  under  the  obli- 
gation, but  he  can  never  really  have  embraced  the 
offer.  For  wherever  Christ's  salvation  is  embraced, 
there  a  change  of  heart  takes  place  too.  "  We 
know  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
because  we  love  the  brethren.  He  that  lovetli  not 
his  brother  abideth  in  death."  1  John  3:14.  It 
becomes,  therefore,  a  question  affecting  our  own 
state  before  God,  whether  we  are  of  a  forgiving 
spirit  or  not.  If  we  are  unwilling  to  forgive  those 
who  have  injured  us,  are  we  ourselves  forgiven  ?    If 


THE   UNFORGIVING  SERVANT.         141 

we  can  go  forth  into  the  world  from  lieariog  the 
gospel  message,  and  finding  there  one  who  has 
done  us  wrong,  can  act,  or  speak,  or  think  towards 
him  in  an  unkind  or  unmerciful  way,  is  it  not  sadly 
plain  that  the  message  of  the  gospel  has  not  reached 
our  hearts,  and  that  God's  mercy  in  Christ  Jesus 
has  not  really  been  laid  hold  of  by  us?  Let  this 
question  be  well  Aveighed,  as  before  God. 


142   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


XIX. 

The   Good    Samaritan. 

'■And  Jesus  answering  said,  A  certain  man  went  down  from 
Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and  fell  among  thieves,  which  striiiped  him 
of  his  raiment,  and  wounded  him,  and  departed,  leaving  him  half 
dead.  And  by  chance  there  came  down  a  certain  priest  that  way  : 
and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other  side.  And  like- 
wise a  Levite,  when  he  was  at  the  j)lace,  came  and  looked  on  him, 
and  passed  by  on  the  other  side.  Bi;t  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he 
journeyed,  came  where  he  was  :  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  had 
compassion  on  him,  and  went  to  him,  and  bound  up  his  wounds, 
poviiing  in  oil  and  wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought 
him  to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of  him.  And  on  the  morrow  ^^•hen 
he  departed,  he  took  out  two  pence,  and  gave  them  to  the  host, 
and  said  unto  him.  Take  care  of  him  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  spend- 
est  more,  when  I  come  again,  I  will  repay  thee.  Which  now  of 
these  three, 'thiukest  thou,  was  neighbor  unto  him  that  fell  among 
the  thieves?  And  he  said,  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him.  Then 
said  Jesus  unto  him,  Go,  and  do  tlio^i  likewise."    Lijke  10  :  30-37. 

■Pt(_yHIS  parable  may  very  likelj^  Lave  been 
^^i^l^^l  ["iji  a  true  story.  The  road  from  Jeriisa- 
Y^^y^  lem  to  Jericlio  lay  in  part  tlirongb  a  rocky 
desert,  and  is  said  to  have  been  much  in- 
■^/'^  fested  by  robbers ;  and  Jericho  was  the 
abode  of  a  large  number  of  priests  and  Le- 
vites,  who  would  of  course  find  it  necessary  from 
time  to  time  to  travel  to  Jerusalem.  The  thing 
here  related  was  therefore  by  no  means  unlikely  to 
happen. 

Our  Lord  spoke  this  parable  by  way  of  answer 
to  the  question,  "And  Avho  is  my  neighbor?"     And 


THE   GOOD   SAMARITAN.  143 

that  question  arose  from  our  Lord's  reply  to  the 
lawyer,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with 
all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself." 

This  man  was  probably  a  Pharisee;  and  the 
Pharisees,  and  indeed  the  Jews  in  general,  held 
very  narrow  notions  as  to  Avhom  they  ought  to  be- 
friend. They  would  own  as  a  neighbor  one  who 
was  a  kinsman  or  friend,  one  living  in  the  same 
place,  and  perhaps  a  fellow-countryman  or  one  of 
their  own  religion.  But  a  stranger,  or  one  of  an- 
other belief,  or  a  natural  enemy,  they  would  by  no 
means  look  upon  as  a  neighbor,  or  feel  themselves 
bound  to  help. 

Our  Lord,  however,  in  this  parable,  taught  him, 
and  teaches  us,  that  all  are  our  neighbors.     Every- 
one who  stands  in  need  of  our  help,  and  whom  it  is 
in  our  power  to  help,  even  if  a  perfect  stranger  or 
an  unbeliever  or  a  born  enemy,  we  are  to  treat  as  a 
neighbor,  and  to  help  and  comfort  in  case  of  need. 
The  parable  teaches  this  in  a  very  striking  way. 
The  man  who  fell  among  thieves  was  a  Jew,  and 
so  were  both  the  priest  and  the  Levite.    If  they 
had  helped  him  it  would  have  been  accordim?  to 
the  common  notions  of  the  Jews.     But  they^lid 
liot.     The  one,  when  he  saw  him,  passed  by  on  the 
other  side,  glad  to  avoid  so  troublesome  a  case; 
the  other,  though  he  came  and  looked  on  him,  yet 
gave  him  no  relief,  but  passed  by  on  the  other  side 
also.     They  proved  themselves  to  be  no  neighbors 
to  the  Mounded  man,  though  of  the  same  bhm.l  and 


144   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

religion.  But  the  Samaritan  was  a  natural  enemy 
of  the  man ;  for  the  Jews  and  the  Samaritans  were 
bitterly  opposed,  and  that  on  the  score  of  religious 
forms,  which,  sad  to  say,  often  give  rise  to  more 
bitter  enmity  than  any  thing  else.  Yet  this  Samar- 
itan, when  he  saw  a  Jewish  man  lying  wounded, 
helpless,  half  dead,  by  the  wayside,  showed  him  all 
the  kindness  of  a  brother.  He  stopped  in  his  jour- 
ney, bound  up  his  wounds,  treating  them  according 
to  the  medical  science  of  the  day,  set  him  on  his 
own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn.  There  he 
tended  him  carefully,  and  on  the  morrow,  after  pay- 
ing what  would  probably  be  enough,  left  him  in 
charge  of  the  host,  with  the  promise  to  pay  any 
thing  further  when  next  he  came  that  way.  This 
man,  though  a  Samaritan,  was  the  true  neighbor  to 
the  wounded  Jew ;  and  so  our  Lord's  questioner 
was  forced  to  own.  "Then  said  Jesus  unto  him, 
Go,  and  do  thou  likewise,"  And  these  words  apply 
to  us  also ;  Ave  are  to  take  the  Samaritan  as  our 
example. 

I.  His  conduct  stands  out  as  different  from  that 
of  the  priest  in  this :  that  whereas  the  priest  avoided 
the  wounded  man,  the  Samaritan  went  to  him.  Self- 
ishness and  indolence  would  often  lead  us  to  trj-  not 
to  see  a  case  of  distress.  We  must  not  yield  to  the 
feeling.  We  should  have  an  eye  for  all  who  are  in 
need,  an  ear  to  hear  them,  a  heart  to  care  for  them. 
It  is  easy  to"  turn  away  and  seem  not  to  notice;  and 
often,  doubtless,  this  would  save  us  much  trouble; 
but  it  would  be  to  act  like  the  priest,  and  not  like 
the  Samaritan,  and  it  is  the  Samaritan  whom  our 


THE  GOOD   SAMARITAN.  145 

Lord  bids  us  follow:  "Go,  and  do  thou  likewise," 
If  a  Samaritan,  with  Lis  imperfect  religious  liglit, 
showed  such  compassion,  how  much  more  should  a 
Christian !  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good,  and 
seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his 
bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the 
love  of  God  in  him  ?"  We  ought  not  even  to  feel 
vexed  when  a  case  of  want  is  brought  before  us,  and 
our  help  is  asked;  for  this  would  be  to  turn  awav 
in  heart,  even  though  we  might  not  refuse  to  give, 
Rather  we  should  feel  thankful  for  every  opportu- 
nity of  showing  kindness  for  Christ's  sake. 

11.  The  conduct  of  the  Levite  was  diiferent  from 
that  of  the  priest ;  but  the  Samaritan  teaches  us  a 
further  lesson  as  compared  with  the  Levite  also. 
The  Levite  did  not  quite  disregard  the  wounded 
man.  He  came  and  looked  on  him ;  and  perhaps 
if  it  had  been  only  a  little  help  that  he  required, 
and  such  as  would  have  caused  small  trouble  or 
expense,  he  might  have  been  willing  to  give  it.  Bnt 
the  case  was  a  serious  one.  The  man  lay  stripped, 
wounded,  half  dead,  and  probably  senseless.  What 
was  to  be  done  with  him  ?  Whither  should  he  be 
taken  ?  Any  one  who  should  take  the  case  in  hand 
must  make  up  his  mind  to  unknown  delay,  trouble, 
and  expense,  and  perhaps  to  being  suspected  of 
having  robbed  him  besides.  It  was  more  prudent, 
thought  the  Levite,  to  let  him  alone.  At  least, 
whatever  he  thought,  this  is  what  he  did.  When 
he  had  looked  on  him,  he  too  passed  by  on  the 
other  side,  and  left  him  there  to  die,  as  he  must 
have  supposed.  Hoav  different  the  conduct  of  the 
''"••-■"-•■  7 


146   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

Samaritan  !  No  tliouglit  of  consequences  witli  liiin, 
no  reckoning  up  of  delay  and  trouble  and  expense. 
Here  was  a  dying  man.  That  was  enough.  He 
must  be  helped,  and  if  possible  saved,  at  any  cost. 
The  greatness  of  the  need,  so  far  from  leading  him 
to  pass  by  on  the  other  side,  did  but  make  him 
more  earnest  in  giving  help.  Such  a  man  would 
have  helped  any  case  of  distress;  hoAv  much  more 
such  a  case  as  this. 

III.  The  Samaritan  bestowed  on  this  man  that 
which  he  must  have  felt  the  loss  of  himself.  There 
is  nothing  to  show  that  he  was  a  rich  man,  but 
rather  the  contrary.  No  mention  is  made  of  his 
having  a  servant  with  him,  and  he  had  but  one 
beast  for  his  journey.  His  thrifty  conduct  at  the 
inn,  in  going  to  no  needless  expense,  though  making- 
full  provision  that  the  sick  man  should  have  what- 
ever he  might  stand  in  need  of,  seems  to  show  him 
a  man  obliged  to  consider  expense,  though  so  wil- 
ling to  give.  Yet  he  gave  up  his  own  beast  to  the 
sufierer's  use,  and  freely  bestowed  his  wine  and  oil, 
and  grudged  nothing  that  was  required.  It  is  little 
to  give  what  we  shall  not  miss.  True  Christian 
compassion  will  go  beyond  that,  and,  in  giving  to 
the  cause  of  God,  Avill  not  spare  that  which  might 
otherwise  be  spent  on  personal  comfort.  Some  of 
the  best  of  givers  are  those  who  have  but  little  to 
give. 

IV.  But  the  Samaritan  did  move  than  lay  out 
his  goods  on  behajf  of  the  wounded  man.  He  gave 
also  time  and  trouble.  Money,  to  those  at  least 
who  have  it  in  plent}',  is  the  least  of  all  gifts.     To 


THE   GOOD   SAMARITAN.  U7 

give  time  and  trouble  is  to  give  far  more.  Some 
who  do  not  refuse  to  help  with  the  purse,  are  little 
disposed  to  take  trouble,  and  practise  self-denial  in 
doing  good.  Yet  several  of  those  works  of  mere}-, 
on  which  a  blessing  is  pronounced  by  our  Lord  in 
the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  are  such  as 
cannot  be  done  without  personal  trouble  ;  as  to  visit 
the  sick  and  the  prisoners.  The  true  Christian, 
whom  God  has  blessed  with  means,  will  spare  nei- 
ther his  goods  nor  his  labor;  and  it  is  a  comfort  for 
those  whose  means  are  small  that  time  and  trouble 
can  do  in  many  cases  what  no  money  can  do ;  and 
farther,  that  even  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  the 
name  of  a  disciple,  receives  the  blessing  of  the  Lord 
of  all. 

V.  The  Samaritan  further  sets  us  an  example  of 
perseverance  in  kindness.  There  are  some  whose 
pity  is  easily  moved,  but  as  quickly  dies  awa}'. 
They  will  readily  help  at  the  moment  when  their 
feelings  a,re  worked  upon,  taking  up  a  case  of  dis- 
tress with  great  eagerness,  but  soon  grow  tired  of 
it.  Not  so  the  Samaritan.  When  he  saw  the 
Avounded  man,  "he  had  compassion  on  him;"  and 
this  compassion  was  not  merely  a  momentary  feel- 
ing, but  a  lasting  motive.  He  was  as  careful  about 
the  man  on  the  morrow  as  he  was  when  first  he  saw 
him,  and  did  not  leave  him  till  he  had  made  full 
provision  for  his  wants.  In  this  respect,  also,  let 
us  go  and  do  likewise ;  by  no  means  checking  the 
first  warm  feeling  of  compassion  at  the  sight  of  dis- 
tress, yet  takiug  care  that  our  sympathy  and  help 
be  continued  as  lone:  as  needed. 


148   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

YI.  Thus  the  Samaritan  sets  us  an  example  in 
various  respects.  But  the  special  lesson  we  are  to 
learn  from  him  is  this :  not  to  confine  our  kindness 
within  any  narrow  bounds,  but  to  show  ourselves 
neighbors  to  all  who  want  our  help.  If  both  men 
had  been  Samaritans,  or  both  Jews,  the  lessons 
already  mentioned  might  properly  have  been  drawn 
from  the  parable ;  but  the  wounded  man  was  a  Jew, 
and  the  man  who  helped  him  was  .a  Samaritan :  in 
this  lies  the  special  lesson. 

As  disciples  of  Christ,  we  are  to  be  kind  not  only 
to  those  near,  but  to  those  far  off ;  not  only  to  kins- 
men and  friends,  but  to  strangers;  not  to  those  only 
who  love  us  or  will  be  grateful  to  us,  but  even  to  en- 
emies. Our  Lord  teaches  us  this  same  lesson  else- 
where :  "  For  if  ye  love  them  which  love  you,  what 
thank  have  ye?  for  sinners  also  love  those  that  love 
them.  And  if  ye  do  good  to  them  which  do  good 
to  you,  what  thank  have  ye?  for  sinners  also  do 
even  the  same.  And  if  ye  lend  to  them  of  whom 
ye  liojDe  to  receive,  what  thank  have  ye?  for  sin- 
ners also  lend  to  sinners,  to  receive  as  much  again. 
But  love  ye  your  enemies,  and  do  good,  and  lend, 
hoping  for  nothing  again ;  and  your  rcAvard  shall  be 
great,  and  ye  shall  be  the  children  of  the  Highest ; 
for  he  is  kind  unto  the  unthankful  and  to  the  evil. 
Be  ye  therefore  merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is 
merciful." 

There  are  some  who  are  naturally  winning  and 
attractive ;  it  is  easy  to  show  kindness  to  iliem  :  but 
we  must  be  kind  also  to  those  Avho  are  not  so. 
S<nne,  we  know,  will  receive  our  kindness  gratefully 


THE  GOOD  SAMARITAN.  149 

and  repa,}'  it  with  love  :  it  is  a  pleasure  to  show  kind- 
ness to  such ;  but  we  must  not  confine  our  help  to 
them.  Some  again  are  opposed  to  us  in  opinions 
and  habits,  yet  let  us  help  them  in  their  need.  And 
some  may  even  have  injured  us,  yet  we  must  seek 
to  do  them  good.  In  all  these  instances  the  exam- 
ple of  the  Samaritan  applies.  "  Go,  and  do  thou 
likeAvise." 

And  when  we  look  abroad  into  the  world  at 
large,  far  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  our  own 
sphere,  and  hear  of  vast  numbers  in  need  both  tem- 
l)orally  and  spiritually,  and  especially  of  the  mill- 
ions of  the  heathen  who  knoAv  not  God,  let  us  not 
turn  away,  and  plead  "home  claims,"  as  if  their 
case  were  no  concern  of  ours.  'We  must  be  neigh- 
bors for  them  all  for  Christ's  sake.  Though  sepa- 
rated from  them  by  wide  seas ;  though  in  this  life 
we  shall  never  see  them ;  though  there  may  seem 
little  in  common  between  us  and  them  ;  though  they 
may  be  men  of  another  skin  and  of  other  tongues, 
strangers  to  our  ways  and  we  to  theirs ;  3'et  let  us 
be  neighbors  to  them,  as  Jesus  meant  us  to  bo 
when  he  said,  "  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise." 

The  Samaritan  is  our  example  for  it,  but  our 
Lord  himself  is  a  higher  example  still.  "For  ye 
know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that 
though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  your  sakes  he  became 
poor,  that  ye  through  his  poverty  might  be  rich." 
Such  was  his  example ;  and  his  parting  words  were 
these:  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature." 


150       THE  PAllABLES  OF   OUR  LORD. 


XX. 


JHEJ 


M.PORTUNATE    -TRAYER. 


F' 


"And  he  said  imto  them,  Which  of  j^ou  shall  have  a  friend, 
and  shall  go  unto  him  at  midnight,  and  say  unto  him.  Friend, 
lend  me  three  loaves  ;  for  a  friend  of  mine  in  his  journey  is  come 
to  me,  and  I  have  nothing  to  set  before  him  ?  And  he  from  within 
shall  answer  and  say,  Trouble  me  not :  the  door  is  now  shut,  and 
my  children  are  with  me  in  bed  ;  I  cannot  rise  and  give  thee.  I 
sav  unto  you,  Though  he  will  not  rise  and  give  him,  because  he  is 
his  friend,  yet  because  of  his  importunity  he  will  rise  and  give 
him  as  many  as  he  needeth.  And  I  say  unto  you.  Ask,  and  it  shall 
be  given  you  ;  seek,  and  ye  shall  find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be 
opened  unto  you.  For  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth  ;  and  he 
that  seeketh  findeth;  and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened." 
Luke  11  :  5-10. 

^/  E  liave  here  a  parable  drawn  from 
the  conduct  of  man  towards  man. 
There  are  several  of  the  same  kind 
among  the  parables  of  our  Lord.  But 
inasmuch  as  God's  ways  are  higher  than 
and  his  thoughts  than  our  thoughts,  the 
parable  can  represent  in  part  only  the  truth  it  is 
meant  to  teach ;  for  what  man  does  to  man  in  the 
way  of  kindness,  is  but  an  imperfect  picture  of  what 
God  does. 

In  that  time  and  country,  when  there  were  not 
shops  and  inns  as  with  us,  and  when  travelling  was 
so  different,  such  a  thing  as  is  represented  in  the 
parable  might  easily  happen.  An  unexpected  vis- 
itor arrives  in  the  middle  of  the  night  at  the  house 
of  a  friend,  and  seeks  lodging  and  food;  but  he 


our  ways, 


THE  IMPOETUNATE  PKAYElt.  151 

fiuds  Lis  frieiul  ill-preixired  to  receive  him,  for  lie 
lias  iiotliing  in  the  house.  Hospitahtj-,  however, 
has  always  been  thought  a  great  dut}'  in  the  East; 
the  friend  therefore  goes  to  a  neighbor's  house,  and 
asks  him  for  bread  to  set  before  the  stranger.  But 
it  is  midnight,  and  the  door  is  shut,  and  the  neigh- 
bor and  his  familj-  have  all  retired  to  rest.  "  Trou- 
ble me  not,"  he  answers  from  within :  "  I  cannot 
rise  and  give  thee."  But  the  other  man  is  not  eas- 
ily sent  away.  He  knocks  again,  and  repeats  his 
request;  and  this  many  times,  till  at  length  his 
neighbor,  tired  of  refusing,  gets  up,  though  with  no 
good  grace,  and  gives  him  what  he  wants.  The 
feeling  of  friendship  was  not  strong  enough  to  rouse 
him,  but  importunity  prevails. 

By  this  parable  our  Lord  teaches  us  to  be  im- 
portunate, or  persevering,  in  prayer.  It  arose  in 
this  way :  Jesus  himself  was  j^raying,  and  his  dis- 
ciples saw  him :  and  when  he  left  off,  one  of  them 
came  and  said,  "Lord,  teach  us  to  pray,  as  John 
also  taught  his  disciples."  Then  our  Lord  taught 
them  what  we  call  "  The  Lord's  Prayer,"  and  im- 
mediately after  spoke  this  parable  to  them,  thus 
teaching  them  not  only  how  to  pra}',  but  also  that 
they  must  persevere  in  praying,  not  content  with 
asking  once,  but  asking  again  and  again. 

The  man  in  the  parable  would  not  get  up  at  the 
first  request.  He  heard  his  friend's  voice,  and  knew 
his  wants,  but  was  unwilling  to  trouble  himself  to 
rise.  It  pleases  God  sometimes  not  to  answer  our 
prayers  at  first.  It  seems  as  if  they  were  upt  heard ; 
nay,  discouraging  circumstances  may  even  lead  us 


152       THE   PAllABLES  OF   OUR  LORD. 

to  fear  that  our  petition  is  refused  like  that  iu  the 
parable.  But  there  is  this  great  difference  :  the  man 
was  unwilhng;  God  is  never  unwilling.  The  man's 
friendship  was  but  an  imperfect  friendship.  If  it 
had  been  daj^time,  and  he  had  been  up  and  about, 
he  would  have  lent  the  loaves  without  grudgiDg ; 
but  he  would  not  put  himself  to  the  trouble  of  rising 
at  midnight.  The  kindness  of  God,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  perfect  and  unfailing.  If,  therefore,  our 
first  prayers  seem  to  receive  no  answer,  it  is  not 
because  God  is  unwilling  to  grant  our  request.  If 
it  be  really  for  our  good,  he  is  quite  willing  to  grant 
it,  and  -willing  from  the  very  first ;  and  he  is  as  able 
as  he  is  willing.  Even  the  man  in  the  parable  was 
able.  His  "I  cawnot"  meant,  in  truth,  "  I  will  not." 
God  is  both  able  and  willing. 

Again,  the  man  would  not  rise  because  the  time 
was  unseasonable ;  but  no  time  is  unseasonable  with 
God.  "  Evening  and  morning  and  at  noon  will  I 
pray  and  cry  aloud,"  said  David,  "  and  he  shall  hear 
my  voice."  "  At  midnight  I  will  rise  to  give  thanks 
unto  thee."  Time  and  place  make  no  difference 
with  God.  Every  place  may  be  a  place  of  prayer, 
and  every  time  a  time  for  joraying.  Prayer  to  God 
is  never  unseasonable.  "  Call  upon  me,"  he  says, 
"  in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  I  will  deliver  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  glorify  me,"  "Whenever  the  day  of  trou- 
ble may  come,  then  and  there  we  are  to  call  uj)on 
God.  And  though  he  may  not  deliver  us  at  once, 
it  is  not  because  we  have  called  upon  him  at  a  wrong- 
time.  Tljere  is  no  wrong  time  for  praj^er,  provided 
it  is  a  time  of  need. 


THE  IMPORTUNATE  PRAYER.  153 

But  at  length  the  man  did  rise.  Unwilling  as 
he  was,  jet  weary  of  repeated  applications,  he  at 
last  got  up  and  gave  the  loaves.  How  much  more 
then  will  God  attend  to  the  repeated  prayers  of 
those  who  call  upon  him.  In  the  parable  the  time 
was  unseasonable,  the  friend's  kindness  was  but 
imperfect,  and  he  was  unwilling  to  rise;  yet  impor- 
tunity prevailed,  and  he  did  rise.  No  time  is  un- 
seasonable with  God;  his  kindness  is  perfect;  he 
is  always  willing  to  hear  and  bless.  Surely  then  he 
will  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  us  when  we  call  upon 
him  again  and  again.  If  persevering  prayer  pre- 
vailed M'ith  an  unwilling  man,  it  will  not  fail  with  a 
gracious  God. 

The   lesson   therefore   which   our   Lord   draws 
from  the  parable  is  this:    "And  I  say  unto  you. 
Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall 
find  ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."     To 
make    the    exhortation    stronger,    three    different 
words  are  used— Ask,  Seek,  Knock ;  and  to  each  is 
joined  a  promise.     And  then,  lest  any  humble  soul 
should  still  fear  that  the  exhortation  and  promise 
are  not  for  him,  our  gracious  Lord  adds,  "  For  every 
one  that  asketh  receiveth  ;  and  he  that  seeketh  find- 
eth ;  and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened." 
It  is  not  to  the  worthy  alone  that  the  promise  is 
given :  every  one  that  asketh  receiveth ;  every  one 
who  asks  in  the  way  of  the  gospel,  humbly  and  sin- 
cerely, in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.    None  are  shut 
out.    Whatever  they  may  have  done,  whatever  they 
may  have  been,  whatever  may  be  their  wants,  their 
sins,  their  sorrows,  temptations,  infirmities,  yet  the 


154   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

cxliortatiou  and  the  promise  come  to  them :  "  Ask, 
and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  .  .  .  .  for  eveiy  one  that 
asketli  receiveth."  The  promise  is  applied  more 
particularly  to  the  gift  of  the  Holj^  Spirit,  but  we 
may  apply  it  also  to  every  blessing,  temporal  or 
spiritual,  that  Mould  really  be  for  our  good ;  to  the 
pardon  of  sin,  to  comfort  in  trouble,  to  help  in  dif- 
ficulty, to  guidance  in  doubt.  "Whenever  we  pray, 
we  may  do  so  in  the  faith  of  our  Saviour's  words, 
"Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you;"  and  the  constant 
remembrance  of  them  will  make  us  more  frequent, 
more  earnest,  and  more  believing  in  prayer. 

But  these  words  of  our  Lord  come  at  the  close 
of  the  parable,  and  contain  the  exhortation  which 
he  draws  from  it;  we  must  therefore  take  them  in 
close  connection  with  it.  We  are  not  to  ask  once, 
and  then  leave  oil"  asking,  as  if  the  work  were 
done.  We  are  to  ask,  and  ask  again ;  to  seek  with 
perseverance ;  to  knock  repeatedly :  for  our  Lord 
does  not  tell  us  that  the  blessing  shall  come  on  the 
first  application.  He  will  bless  us  when  he  will, 
and  how  he  will.  The  Syrophenician  woman  had 
to  ask  three  times  before  she  received.  The  first 
time  Jesus  answered  her  not  a  word;  the  second 
time  he  seemed  almost  to  refuse  her  request;  and 
it  was  only  when  she  still  persevered  that  he  said, 
•'  O  Avoman,  great  is  thy  faith ;  be  it  unto  thee  even 
as  thou  wilt."  Yet  she  was  heard  from  the  very 
first;  and  it  was  doubtless  only  to  try  her  faith 
that  the  answer  was  Avithheld  so  long. 

We  too  are  heard  when  first  we  pray,  and  heard 
gr.-.ciousb'.    Even  the  man  in  the  parable  heard  the 


THE   IMPORTUNATE   PEAYER.  155 

veiT  first  kuock  of  his  I'liend,  though  he  ■\voukl  not 
rise.  We  are  heard  at  our  first  cry  to  God,  and 
heard  with  no  unwillingness  to  help.  If  it  please 
our  Father,  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  and  for  our  good, 
in  order  to  try  our  faith  and  thus  to  strengthen  it — 
if  it  please  him  to  keep  us  waiting  awhile,  that  we 
may  pray  again  and  again,  more  humbly  and  ear- 
nestly, can  we  not  abide  his  time  ?  Must  we  have 
what  we  desire  at  the  very  first  cry,  or  think  that 
God  will  not  give  it  at  all?  How  often  does  the 
psalmist  speak  of  uniftiuj  on  the  Lord.  "  Wait  on  the 
Lord  :  be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen 
thy  heart:  waitj  I  sa}',  on  the  Lord."  This  is  what 
we  are  to  do :  not  waiting  idly,  and  not  praying 
once  only;  but  waiting  in  prayer,  praying  again  and 
again,  and  patiently  abiding  his  good  pleasure  in 
faith  and  hope. 

Fo?"  God's  promises  never  fail.  "Every  one 
that  asketh  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh  findeth ; 
and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened."  Not 
all  at  one  time,  or  in  one  wa}- ;  some  earlier,  some 
later ;  some  in  this  way,  and  some  in  that ;  biit  all 
surely,  because  God  has  said  it.  Let  none  be  cast 
down  or  discouraged ;  let  the  faith  of  none  fail. 
"Be  instant  in  prayer."  "Ask  in  faith,  nothing- 
wavering."  God  does  hear  you  already,  and  hears 
you  graciously,  in  every  prayer  you  put  up,  every 
cry  of  your  heart,  every  knock  at  the  door  of  mercy ; 
and  in  his  own  good  time  he  will  show  you  that  he 
has  heard  you.  Let  faith  tell  you  so  even  now; 
and  in  this  assurance  "Pray  without  ceasing." 


156   THE  PARABLES  OF  OL'E  LOED. 


XXI. 


The  Father's  G 


IFT, 


"  If  a  son  shall  ask  bread  of  any  of  you  that  is  a  father,  will 
he  give  him  a  stone  ?  or  if  he  ask  a  fish,  will  he  for  a  fish  give 
him  a  serpent?  or  if  he  shall  ask  an  egg,  will  he  offer  him  a 
scorpion  ?  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts 
unto  yonr  children  :  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father 
give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him."  Luke  11  :  11-13  ;  see 
also  Matt.  7  :  7-11. 

'^^L-^HIS  ixirable — for  such  it  may  be  coii- 
sidered — follows  that  of  the  man  who 


was  prevailed  upon  by  importunity  to  rise 
and  give  the  loaves,  and  is  upon  the  same 
general  subject  —  the  subject  of  prayer. 
The  first  teaches  us  to  persevere  in  prayer. 
This  shows  us  that  God  will  not  only  hear  us  when 
we  praj',  but  will  give  us  those  very  blessings  of 
Avhich  we  stand  in  need,  especially  the  gift  of  his 
Holy  Spirit. 

In  this  parable,  as  in  the  one  before,  our  Lord 
draws  the  lesson  from  the  conduct  -of  men.  What 
father  would  give  his  son  a  stone  instead  of  bread, 
or  a  serpent  instead  of  a  fish,  or  for  an  gqq  a  scor- 
pion? Men,  evil  as  they  are,  with  many  wrong- 
feelings  and  dispositions,  and  imperfect  both  in 
knowledge  and  in  love,  yet  know  how  to  give  good 
gifts  to  their  children.  When  asked  by  them  for 
necessary  food,   they   will  not   give   them   instead 


THE  FATHER'S  GIFT.  157 

what  is  useless  or  even  hurtful.  They  know  what 
will  supply  their  children's  need,  and  natural  affec- 
tion prompts  them  to  give  it.  Much  more  then  will 
God,  who  is  of  perfect  wisdom  and  goodness,  give 
his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him. 

This  is  the  general  meaning  of  the  parable.  But 
let  us  dwell  a  little  more  closely  and  particularly  on 
the  lessons  which  it  teaches. 

It  has  been  remarked  that  in  all  the  three  eases 
there  is  a  certain  degree  of  likeness  between  the 
thing  asked  for  and  the  other  thing  mentioned. 
The  smooth  round  back  of  the  scorpion  is  not  un- 
like in  shape  to  an  egg;  a  serpent  is  still  more  like 
a  fish  ;  and  a  recent  traveller  in  the  East  writes 
that  at  a  distance  a  pile  of  Egj-ptian  bread,  round 
and  dark-colored,  might  easily  be  taken  for  a  heap 
of  the  flat  stones  found  in  the  beds  of  rivers  or  in 
the  desert.  But  no  father  would  mock  his  child  by 
giving  him  what  would  do  him  no  good,  though 
like  in  appearance  to  what  he  wanted.  Much  less 
Avill  our  heavenly  Father  give  us  the  mere  show  and 
mockery  of  blessings.  What  the  world  gives  is  but 
a  show  :  what  God  gives  is  real  and  true.  Those 
who  seek  happiness  in  the  world  are  but  cheated 
with  an  empty  appearance.  Those  who  seek  hap- 
piness in  God  are  never  disappointed.  He  gives 
what  the  world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away. 

The  affection  of  a  father  to  his  child  is  one  of 
the  strongest  feelings  in  our  nature.  It  is  found 
even  in  bad  men,  and  a  man  must  have  sunk  almost 
to  the  lowest  depth  when  he  has  lost  all  care  for  his 
own  offspring.    Generally  speaking,  this  love  forms 


158   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

a  part  of  our  nature,  even  in  its  present  fallen  state, 
and  is  strong  enough  to  lead  a  father  not  only  to 
give  bread  to  his  child,  but  also  to  work  for  it.  But 
what  is  this  love,  compared  with  the  love  of  God  ? 
and  what  is  the  natural  kindness  of  an  earthly 
parent,  compared  with  the  tender  compassion  and 
care  of  our  heavenly  Father?  His  is  an  unfailing 
compassion  and  a  perfect  love.  He  is  always  ready 
to  hear  us,  and  to  grant  our  requests.  There  is  no 
unwillingness  whatever  in  him. 

But,  besides  the  willingness,  there  is  a  peculiar 
stress  laid  on  the  knowledge;  and  in  this  respect 
again 'a  comparison  is  made  between  an  earthly 
father  and  God.  If  even  an  evil  parent  has  natui'al 
affection  enough  to  lead  him  to  supply  this  simple 
want,  so  the  most  ignorant  have  knowledge  enough, 
not  always  to  do  it  in  the  best  way,  but  at  least  to 
give  what  is  absolutely  necessary,  and  what  is  asked 
for.  But  we  have  deeper  wants  than  the  want  of 
bread,  and  wants  that  require  a  far  deeper  knowl- 
edge to  supply  them ;  yet  the  infinite  knowledge 
and  wisdom  of  God  are  sufficient  for  them  all. 

Sometimes,  for  instance,  we  are  placed  in  diffi- 
cult circumstances,  and  know  not  how  to  act.  In 
such  a  case  man's  knowledge  fails,  both  our  own 
and  that  of  our  fellow-creatures.  Man  cannot  help 
us  then :  but  we  seek  guidance  of  God,  and  find 
that  he  knows  how  to  give  us  just  what  we  want. 
Our  prayer  is  heard,  help  and  guidance  are  given, 
and  we  are  brought  through  our  difficulties.  Not 
perhaps  immediately,  and  not  by  any  strange  means ; 
yet  in  the  end  we  are  brouglit  safeh-  through.    Our 


THE  FATHER'S  GIFT.  159 

heavenlj  Father  knows  how  to  give  us  just  what 
we  want. 

In  St.  Matthew's  gosjjel  the  w'ords  of  our  Lord 
are,  "How  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is 
in  heaven  give  (jood  things  to  them  that  ask  him  ?" 
In  St.  Luke  it  is  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  only 
that  is  mentioned.  It  is  not  quite  clear  whether 
St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke  are  relating  the  same 
thing,  or  whether  our  Lord  spoke  almost  the  same 
words  at  two  difierent  times ;  but  certainly  we  may 
receive  both  promises  as  his.  He  assures  us  in  the 
one  place  that  God  Avill  give  the  Holy  Spirit;  in  the 
other  he  tells  us  more  generally  that  God  will  give 
good  things  to  them  that  ask  him.  Our  heavenly 
Father  therefore  will  do  both. 

He  will  give  us  "good  things"  —  all  that  is 
really  good  for  us — not  only  guidance  in  difficulty, 
but  every  thing  else  that  he  sees  us  to  stand  in  need 
of.  Does  not  this  very  expression,  "  good  things," 
explain  how  it  is  that  sometimes  our  prayers  seem 
to  go  unheard?  AYe  asked,  but  perhaps  we  asked 
amiss ;  for  our  knowledge  of  what  is  good  for  us  is 
but  imperfect.  We  thought  we  were  asking  for 
bread,  whereas  we  were  asking  for  a  stone.  But 
God  knows  exactly  what  is  best  for  us.  He  does 
not  therefore  always  answer  us  according  to  our 
prayers ;  he  knows  better  how  to  give  us  good  gifts 
than  we  know  how  to  ask  for  them ;  and  surely  he 
does  but  manifest  his  fatherly  kindness  when,  in- 
stead of  giving  us  what  we  in  our  ignorance  think 
to  be  good,  he  gives  us  what  he  in  his  infinite  wis- 
dom knows  to  be  so. 


IGO   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

But  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  expressly  prom- 
ised :  "  How  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father 
give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him  !" 

To  those  who  ask  for  the  Holy  Spirit  this  prom- 
ise will  certainly  be  fulfilled.  We  should  all  ask, 
and  that  continually.  Bread  is  not  more  needful 
for  the  body  than  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the 
soul.  The  first  beginning  of  life  within  is  the  Spir- 
it's work,  and  it  is  only  by  the  same  work  that  it 
can  be  maintained.  Every  spiritual  grace  is  the 
effect  of  this  work — conviction  of  sin,  repentance, 
faith,  humility,  love,  holiness.  It  is  through  the 
Spirit  that  we  gain  strength  for  each  day's  duties 
and  each  day's  difliculties.  It  is  by  the  Spirit  that 
our  hearts  learn  more  of  the  truth  of  God.  It  is  the 
Spirit  that  is  our  Comforter  in  trouble,  our  Guide 
in  doubt,  our  Sanctifier  continually.  We  ought  to 
seek  that  our  hearts  may  be  temples  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  in  which  he  may  always  abide.  When  we 
pray  for  this,  God  will  hear  us;  for  there  is  no 
doubt  that  tins  is  good.  We  may  feel  sure,  M'heu 
we  seek  the  Spirit,  that  Af  e  are  seeking  according  to 
the  will  of  God,  and  that  he  will  give  to  us  accord- 
ing to  our  prayer.  Why  do  we  not  believe  this 
promise  more  full}',  and  pray  more  constantly,  more 
earnestly,  and  more  in  faith,  for  the  Spirit? 

But  is  the  promise  confined  to  those  who  ex- 
pressly ask  for  the  Holy  Spirit?  The  words  are 
more  general :  "  to  them  that  ask  him."  God  knows 
what  we  most  want.  PerhajDS  sometimes,  when  we 
put  up  a  prayer  in  all  sincerity  for  something  that 
vrould  not  be  for  our  good,  God  answers  it  by  send- 


THE  FATHER'S   GIFT.  161 

iug  us  the  Holy  Spirit.  Perhaps  when  we,  in  some 
hour  of  deep  distress,  cau  only  cry,  "Lord,  help 
me !"  God  answers  that  praj'er  by  the  gift  of  the 
Spirit.  There  are  times  when  we  cannot  find  words 
for  prayer,  and  when  even  our  thoughts  refuse  to 
form  themselves  into  petitions.  Still  let  us  pray. 
Even  at  such  times  let  us  cast  ourselves  upon  the 
love  and  compassion  of  God  in  Christ,  and  place 
our  hearts,  as  it  were,  in  the  attitude  of  prayer. 
Then  the  Spirit  will  help  our  infirmities,  making 
intercession  for  us  Avith  groanings  which  cannot  be 
uttered.  God  will  give  his  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that 
ask  him,  even  in  the  way  of  helping  them  to  ask 
him;  and  the  earnest* desires  and  the  broken  cries 
Avliich  the  Spirit  prompts  will  be  answered  in  a  lar- 
ger outpouring  of  the  Spirit's  grace  into  the  soul. 


162   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

XXII. 

Christ    the    Door. 

"Verily,  verily,  I  say  iiuto  yon.  He  that  eutereth  not  by  the 
door  into  the  sheepfold,  biit  climbeth  up  some  other  way,  the  same 
is  a  thief  and  a  robber.  Bnt  he  that  entereth  in  by  the  door  is  the 
shepherd  of  the  sheep.  To  him  the  jDortcr  ojDeneth  :  and  the  sheep 
hear  his  voice  :  and  he  calleth  his  own  sheei^  by  name,  and  lead- 
eth  them  out.  And  when  he  putteth  .forth  his  own  sheep,  he  go- 
eth  before  them,  and  the  sheej)  follow  him  :  for  they  know  his 
voice.  And  a  stranger  will  they  not  follow,  but  will  flee  from  him: 
for  they  know  not  the  voice  of  strangers.  This  parable  spake 
Jef.us  unto  them  :  but  they  understood  not  what  things  they  were 
which  he  sioake  unto  them.  Then  said  Jesus- iinto  them  again. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  imto  a'ou,  I  am  the  door  of  the  sheep.  All  that 
ever  came  before  me  are  thieves  and  robbers  :  but  the  sheep  did 
not  hear  them.  .1  am  the  door :  by  me,  if  any  man  enter  in,  he 
shall  be  saved,  and  shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture.  The 
thief  Cometh  not,  but  for  to  steal,  and  to  kill,  and  to  destroy :  I 
am  come  that  they  might  have  life,  and  that  they  might  have  it 
more  abundantly."    John  10  : 1-10. 

'F  we  take  the  Avliole  passage  doAvn  to 
the  eud  of  the  sixteenth  verse  as  con- 
taining one  parable  and  its  expkmation, 
still  the  parable  seems  naturally  to  divide 
itself  into  two  parts,  in  the  first  of  which 
our  Lord  likens  himself  to  the  door  of  the 
sheepfold,  in  the  second  to  the  shepherd.     We  will 
here  consider  the  first  part  only,  keejaing  the  second 
part  for  another  chapter. 

The  sheepfold  in  that  age  and  country  was  very 
different  from  ours.     It  was  enclosed  within  high 


CHEIST  THE  DOOll.  163 

Avails,  and  Avas  entered  b}'  a  door.  This  door  was 
kept  by  a  porter,  wlio  would  of  course  open  it  to 
none  but  those  who  had  a  right  to  go  in.  If  a  thief 
therefore  came,  he  w^ould  not  try  to  enter  by  the 
door,  but  would  climb  up  by  the  wall  in  some  other 
place ;  and  whoever  did  so  would  be  proved  thereby 
to  be  a  thief  and  a  robber ;  for  if  he  were  the  shep- 
herd, the  porter  would  readily  open  to  him,  and  he 
would  go  in  by  the  door. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  see  that  by  the  sheepfold  is 
meant  the  church  of  Christ,  within  which  his  rheep 
or  people  are,  as  it  were,  kept  and  fed.  And  it  is 
equally  plain  that "  the  shepherd  of  the  sheep  "  means 
the  true  minister  of  the  gospel.  In  the  latter  part 
of  the  parable  we  shall,  see  that  Jesus  himself  is 
"  the  Good  Shepherd ;"  but  here,  when  he  says,  "  He 
that  entereth  in  by  the  door  is  the  shepherd  of 
the  sheep,"  he  is  probably  speaking  of  an  under- 
shepherd,  a  minister;  for  there  would  seem  to  be 
some  confusion  in  his  speaking  of  himself  in  the 
same  sentence  both  under  the  figure  of  a  door  and 
under  that  of  the  shepherd  who  goes  in  by  the 
door — and  there  is  no  confusion  in  the  teaching  of 
our  Lord. 

In  explaining  the  parable,  he  tells  us  plainly 
what  is  meant  by  the  door:  "Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unto  you,  I  am  the  door  of  the  sheep."  He  himself 
is  the  door  of  the  sheepfold,  and  by  him  every  true 
shepherd  goes  in.  But  the  Jewish  teachers  did  not 
go  in  by  him.  When  once  he  had  come  and  pro- 
claimed himself  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  promised 
Messiah,  they  ought  to  have  believed  in  him  and 


164   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

received  him,  and  taught  the  people  to  do  the  same. 
Then  they  wonld  have  been  true  ministers  of  God, 
going  in  by  the  door  to  tend  the  flock.  Instead  of 
this,  they  rejected  and  opposed  him.  Thus  they 
proved  themselves  to  be  no  shepherds,  but  thieves 
and  robbers.  For  every  true  shepherd  went  in  by 
the  door,  Christ  Jesus ;  but  they  climbed  up  another 
way. 

This  applies  to  ministers  of  the  gospel  now.  If 
any  one  does  not  go  in  to  the  flock  by  Christ  as  the 
door,  he  is  no  true  shepherd.  He  may  bear  the 
name  and  fill  the  oflice  outwardlj',  as  even  the 
scribes  sat  in  Moses'  seat;  but  unless  he  has  re- 
ceived Christ  himself  by  faith,  and  become  parta- 
ker of  his  Spirit,  and  unless  he  preaches  Christ  as 
the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,  he  is  no  real  minis- 
ter of  his.  He  does  indeed  appear  in  the  sheep- 
fold,  and  profess  to  feed  the  sheep ;  but  he  has  not 
come  in  by  the  door ;  he  has  climbed  up  some  other 
way.  What  is  he  then?  A  thief  and  a  robber. 
If  he  preach  any  other  doctrine  than  that  of  Christ 
crucified,  he  is  but  stealing  the  hearts  of  the  peo- 
ple, robbing  them  of  the  truth,  misleading  and  de- 
ceiving them.  And  if  he  has  undertaken  the  min- 
istry, and  still  carries  it  on,  not  from  faith  in  Christ, 
and  a  desire  to  spread  his  kingdom  and  win  souls 
to  him,  but  from  some  selfish  or  worldly  motive, 
then  also  he  is  not  a  true  shepherd ;  for  he  has 
gone  without  being  sent,  he  has  taken  an  office  to 
which  he  was  not  called,  he  has  not  entered  by  the 
door,  he  has  no  right  to  be  where  he  is.  "  If  any 
man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,"  says  the  apos- 


CHEIST   THE   DOOIl.  165 

tie,  "  he  is  none  of  liis."  And  if  any  one  who  is  out- 
wartllj  Christ's  minister  be  destitute  of  his  Spirit, 
surelj  he  too  is  reallj-  no  minister  of  his. 

"All  that  ever  came  before  me,"  said  our  Lord, 
"  are  thieves  and  robbers :  but  the  slieep  did  not  hear 
them."  Probably  he  still  meant  to  allude  to  the 
Jewish  teachers  just  before  his  coming  and  at  the 
very  time  of  it;  for  he  could  not  be  speaking  of  the 
ancient  prophets.  Now  it  is  expressly  said  that  the 
people  were  astonished  at  the  teaching  of  our  Lord, 
"for  he  taught  them  as  one  having  authority,  and 
not  as  the  scribes ;"  showing  that  the  Jewish  teach- 
ers, not  being  true  teachers,  had  no  weight  with  the 
people.  They  were  thieves  and  robbers,  not  shep- 
herds, and  the  sheep  did  not  hear  them  or  follow 
them.  There  was  nothing  in  their  teaching  to 
touch  the  conscience  or  to  meet  the  wants  of  tlie 
soul,  for  they  did  not  speak  from  God. 

.  Whether  our  Lord  in  this  first  part  of  the  para- 
ble alludes  to  himself  at  all  as  being  the  chief  shep- 
herd, or  Avhether  — as  before  supposed  — he  hen^ 
speaks  of  himself  under  the  figure  of  the  door  only, 
and  means  by  the  shepherd  a  common  minister,  it 
is  clear  that  he  describes  what  Avill  be  the  effect  of 
every  true  minister's  work.  All  who  go  in  to  the 
sheep  by  the  door,  and  simply  and  faithfully  preach 
Jesus  Christ,  will  find  that  the  sheep  hear  them, 
and  learn  to  know  their  voice  and  to  follow  them. 
The  faithful  ministry  of  the  word  will  never  be  in 
vain.  There  will,  indeed,  be  many  f^iilures  and  dis- 
appointments; yet  some  at  least  of  those  who  hear 
will  liear  to  the  saving  of  their  souls,  nud  will  be 


1G6   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

brought  into  tlie  true  spiritual  fold  of  Christ.  There 
is  an  attractive  power  in  the  preaching  of  the  cross 
which  all  other  preaching  wants.  Great  gifts  will 
often  draw  a  crowd  to  hear,  Avhatever  the  substance 
of  the  preaching  may  be ;  but  that  which  will  win 
hearts  is  the  simple  preaching  of  Christ.  God's 
word  does  not  return  to  him  void. 

The  parable  beautifully  shows  the  close  and  lov- 
ing union  between  a  true  minister  of  the  gospel  and 
those  to  whom  he  ministers.  Going  in  and  out 
among  them  in  his  Master's  name,  he  is  gladly  wel- 
comed by  them.  "  To  him  the  porter  openeth." 
Some  think  there  is  a  special  meaning  in  these 
words,  and  that  they  signify  the  entrance  which  the 
Hoi}'  Spirit  gives  the  minister  of  Christ  into  the 
hearts  of  the  people.  I  am  rather  disposed  to  take 
the  words  merely  as  showing  more  clearly  and  for- 
cibly that  the  true  minister  enters  the  sheejDfold  by 
the  door  Christ  Jesus,  and  that  when  he  so  enters 
there  is  none  to  hinder  him  or  dispute  his  right. 
There  was  a  porter  to  the  ancient  sheepfold ;  but  it 
does  not  necessarily  follow  that  in  the  spiritual 
meaning  there  should  be  any  person  answering  to 
him ;  for  not  every  part  of  a  parable  has  its  coun- 
terpart. But  e\en  when  taken  in  this  general  way, 
the  words  express  a  free  and  continual  intercourse 
between  the  minister  and  his  flock.  As  the  shep- 
herd went  in  and  out  at  the  door,  and  the  porter 
always  opened  to  him,  so  the  faithful  pastor,  miu- 
tering  the  gospel  to  his  flock,  and  doing  all  things 
in  the  name  and  in  the  poAver  of  his  Lord,  finds  a 
welcome  with  all   wlio  are  truly  sheep  of  Christ. 


CHRIST  THE   DOOR.  167 

Pie  knows  them  one  by  one,  and  tenderly  cares  for 
each.  He  leads  them  into  the  green  pastures  of 
the  word  of  God,  and  feeds  them,  and  tends  them, 
and  watches  over  them.  They  are  not  afraid  to 
follow  him,  for  they  know  him  to  be  faithful  and 
true.  He  will  not  teach  them  false  doctrine,  or 
lead  them  astray.  They  can  trust  him  well,  for 
they  know  that  he  calls  them  to  follow  him  only  as 
lie  follows  Christ. 

With  us,  the  shepherd  usually  drives  the  sheep 
before  him ;  but  in  many  other  countries,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  East,  the  shej^herd  goes  before,  and 
the  sheep  follow.  The  parable  alludes  to  this  cus- 
tom :  "  And  when  he  putteth  forth  his  own  sheep, 
he  goetli  before  them,  and  the  sheep  follow  him ; 
for  they  know  his  voice."  The  shepherd  leads  the 
sheep  out  to  the  pasture,  and  himself  shows  them 
the  way,  while  they  follow  at  his  call.  In  like  man- 
ner the  faithful  minister  not  only  points  out  to  his 
people  the  way,  but  leads  them  in  it,  himself  walk- 
ing before  them  and  showing  them  a  bright  exam- 
ple. Let  ministers  be  careful  to  teach  as  well  by 
their  life  as  by  their  words.  It  is  sad  when  these 
do  not  agree.  But  it  is  happy  indeed  when  the 
preacher  is  Inmself  an  example  of  the  truths  he 
preaches,  and  goes  before  his  flock  in  the  way  in 
wliich  he  is  continuall}'  exhorting  them  to  walk. 

But  the  door  of  the  sheepfold  was  for  the  sheep 
as  well  as  for  the  shepherd.  There  was  but  that 
one  entrance.  So  Christ  is  tliB  door  both  for  min- 
isters and  for  people.  None  are  truly  sheep  of 
Clivist's  floflc  butsucli  as  ontor  bv  him.     "I  am  the 


1G8   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

door :  by  me  if  any  man  enter  in,  he  shall  be  saved, 
a:id  shall  go  in  and  out,  and  find  pasture."  Though 
Christians  "will  follow,  and  that  rightly,  a  faithful 
pastor,  yet  he  is  not  their  hope,  their  strength,  or 
their  waj.  Christ  himself  is  all  this,  and  Christ 
alone.  They  are  not  only  to  enter  by  him  at  first, 
and  thus  become  sheep  of  the  fold,  but  ever  after 
they  are  to  go  in  and  out  by  him,  and  through  him 
to  be  preserved  from  danger,  and  receive  food  for 
their  souls,  and  grow  in  grace.  Their  life  is  to  be 
in  Christ.  By  him  they  are  to  aj^proach  the  Fa- 
ther; in  his  name  they  are  to  pray;  on  his  merits 
and  mediation  to  rely.  He  came  that  they  might 
have  life,  and  have  it  abundantly.  He  is  their  life ; 
for  one  figure  alone  can  by  no  means  express  all 
that  Christ  is  to  his  people.  He  is  their  door,  but 
he  is  their  life  too,  and  a  thoiTsand  things  besides, 
for  he  is  in  fact  their  all. 

Let  us  make  sure  that  Christ  is  the  door  to  us. 
Let  us  try  no  other  "way,  but  enter  by  him  alone. 
Then  let  us  go  in  and  out  by  him,  enjoying  through 
him  all  the  safety  and  happiness  of  the  sheep  of  his 
fold.  Let  the  sheep  beware  of  following  a  stranger, 
lest  he  should  prove  a  thief  and  a  robber.  Let 
them  be  attracted  by  no  outward  shdw,  and  misled 
by  no  strange  doctrine ;  but  let  them  cleave  to  the 
simple  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  and  bring  all  preach- 
ing to  that  test.  And  let  all  "who  minister  in  holy 
things  look  to  it  that  they  prove  themselves  true 
shepherds  of  the  fiock  by  entering  in  at  the  door, 
Jesus  Christ.  Let  them  not  preach  themselves,  but 
Christ  Jesns   the   Lord.     Let  them,  both  in  their 


CHllIHT   THE   DOOR.  1G9 

souls  and  in  their  ministry,  know  nothing,  as  a 
ground  of  hope,  "save  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  cru- 
cified." Let  them  be  simple,  faithful,  diligent  pas- 
tors. Let  them  point  all  to  tlie  Lord  Jesus :  "  Be- 
hold the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sin 
of  the  world,"  and  strive  to  build  up  believers  in 
him.  Then  their  work  will  not  be  in  vain.  "  Them 
that  honor  me  I  will  honor."  Though  their  gifts 
may  be  small,  and  their  sjihere  narrow,  yet  they 
shall  have  souls  for  their  hire,  and  in  the  great  day 
there  will  not  be  wanting  some  who  will  be  their 
crown  of  rejoicing. 


170   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


xxin. 

The  Good  Shepherd. 

"I  am  the  good  shepherd:  the  good  shepherd  giveth  his  Hfe 
for  the  sheep.  Biat  he  that  is  a  hirehng,  and  not  the  shepherd, 
whose  own  the  sheep  are  not,  seeth  the  wolf  coming,  and  leaveth 
the  sheep,  and  fleeth  :  and  the  wolf  catcheth  them,  and  scattereth 
the  sheep.  The  hireling  fleeth,  because  he  is  a  hireling,  and 
careth  not  for  the  sheep.  I  am  the  good  shepherd,  and  know  my 
sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine.  As  the  Father  knoweth  me,  even 
so  know  I  the  Father  :  and  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep.  And 
other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold :  them  also  I  must 
bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  ;  and  there  shall  be  one  fold, 
and  one  shepherd."     John  10  :  11-1 G. 


a/'  E  have  taken  the  whole  of  the  pas- 
sage, beginning  with  the  first  verse 


of  this  chapter,  as  one  parable,  consist- 
ing of  two  parts,  in  the  former  of  Avhicli 
our  Lord  represents  himself  under  the 
figure  of  the  door  of  the  sheepfold,  in  the  latter 
under  that  of  the  shepherd.  This  latter  part  we 
have  now  to  consider. 

In  the  former  part  he  speaks  of  the  shepherd  of 
the  sheep  as  opposed  to  a  stranger,  a  thief,  and  a 
robber.  The  shepherd,  who  is  the  true  and  faith- 
ful minister,  enters  the  fold  by  Christ  as  the  door ; 
the  stranger  climbs  up  some  other  way.  This  is  the 
difference.  But  now,  in  this  latter  part,  a  further 
distinction  appears.  The  faithful  minister  was 
called  "  the  shepherd  of  the  sheep,"  but  Jesus  calls 


THE  GOO.D   SHEPHEED.  171 

himself  "  the  Good  Shepherd/'  The  minister  is  a 
true  minister,  because  he  enters  into  the  fold  by 
Jesus  Christ,  and  ministers  in  his  name  and  power 
alone,  yet  he  is  but  an  under-shepherd ;  the  Lord 
Jesus,  on  the  other  hand,  is  the  chief  Shepherd,  the 
Lord  of  .shepherds  as  well  as  of  sheep,  of  people 
and  of  pastors  too.  Under  the  one  figure  he  is  the 
door  of  entrance  both  for  shepherds  and  for  sheep ; 
under  the  other  he  himself  is  the  Shepherd,  the 
chief  Shepherd,  whose  servants  all  the  under-shep- 
herds  are.  The  first  figure  is  dropped,  and  a  new 
one  is  taken  up.  This  is  often  found  in  our  Lord's 
teaching.  For,  as  was  said  before,  one  figure  alone 
cannot  represent  him  fully. 

"  I  am  the  Good  Shepherd."  Jesus  personally 
is  the  Shepherd  of  his  sheep.  David  uses  the  same 
figure  in  the  twenty-third  Psalm  :  "  The  Lord  is  my 
Shepherd,"  and  there  describes  the  care,  the  safety, 
and  the  confidence  which  he  thus  enjo^'ed.  All  that 
David  described,  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  the  Good  Shep- 
herd," is  to  his  sheep.  He  was  so  at  the  time  Avhen 
he  said,  "I  am  the  Good  Shepherd,"  and  he  is  so 
still.  "While  he  was  on  earth,  he  used  to  go  about 
from  place  to  place  attended  b}^  his  disciples. 
Wherever  he  went,  they  went.  He  led  them,  taught 
them,  and  kept  them.  He  himself  said,  "While  I 
was  with  them  in  the  world,  I  kept  them  in  thy 
name."  We  can  see  the  force  and  beauty  of  the 
figure  as  applied  to  that  time.  He  was  like  a  shep- 
herd with  his  flock.  He  is  so  stilL  When  going 
away,  he  said,  "  I  will  not  leave  you  comfortless ;" 
that   is,   orphans   and  destilvfe,   for   so    the    Greek 


172       THE  PAKABLES  OF   OUll  LOKD. 

means — "  I  will  come  to  jou."  He  is  not  -with  us 
now  in  bodily  presence ;  but  lie  is  with  us  by  the 
Spirit,  and  thus  the  promise  is  fulfilled.  AVe  see 
not  him,  but  he  sees  us.  "\Ve  are  stiU  his  sheep, 
and  he  is  our  Shej^herd — our  personal  Shepherd. 
Long  after  his  bodily  presence  had  been  with- 
drawn, the  apostle  Peter  wrote,  "  Ye  Avere  as  sheep 
going  astray ;  but  are  now  returned  unto  the  Shep- 
herd and  Bishop  of  your  souls."  Every  humble 
believer  may  still  say  with  DaAdd,  "  The  Lord  is  my 
Shepherd." 

But  our  Lord  sa^'s,  "I  am  the  Good  Shejiherd;' 
not  merelj'  a  shepherd,  but  a  good  shepherd;  and 
not  merelj'  a  good  shepherd,  as  any  faithful  under- 
shepherd  might  be  called,  but  tlie  Good  Shepherd. 
He  separates  himself  from  all  others,  and  speaks  of 
himself  as  apart  and  alone,  distinct  from  and  far 
above  all  other  shepherds :  "  I  am  the  Good  Shep- 
herd." And  this,  not  because  he  is  so  much  higher 
than  they,  nor  because  he  is  so  far  better,  kinder, 
more  careful  and  loving,  but  for  another  reason: 
"I  am  the  Good  Shepherd,"  he  says;  "the  good 
shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep."  He  had 
not  done  so  then ;  but  he  was  going  to  do  so  very 
soon.  It  was  in  his  mind — his  fixed  and  settled 
purpose.  He -came  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for 
many,  and  nothing  could  lead  him  to  draw  back, 
because  nothing  else  could  save  his  sheep.  It  is 
this,  above  all,  that  makes  him  "  tlie  Good  Shep- 
herd." 

Our  Lord  enlarges  upon  this  in  the  parable, 
pointing  out  the  difference  lietween  the  condu-ct  of 


THE   GOOD  SHEPHEKD.  173 

a  slieplierd  and  a  hireling.  A  hireling,  or  paid  ser- 
vant, however  faithful  he  may  be,  does  not  care  for 
the  sheep  as  the  shepherd  does,  to  whom  they  be- 
long ;  still  less  if  he  be,  as  our  Lord  seems  to  imph', 
of  a  hireling  spirit,  serving  only  for  pay.  Such  a 
man  may  do  his  duty  towards  the  flock  in  common 
times,  but  he  will  not  expose  himself  to  danger  for 
their  sake.  In  that  age  and  country,  when  such  a 
man  saw  the  wolf  coming,  he  would  leave  the  sheep 
and  flee.  Not  so  the  shepherd  himself.  The  sheep 
are  his.  He  knows  them,  and  cares  for  them.  Ho 
will  not  shrink  from  danger  in  defending  them. 
Should  the  wolf  come,  he  Avill  not  flee,  but  will  ex- 
pose his  own  life  to  save  theirs;  "the  good  shep- 
herd giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep."  Our  blessed 
Lord  himself  went  far  bej-ond  the  parable.  A  good 
shepherd  might  be  willing  to  run  some  risk  of  life 
for  his"  sheep ;  but  Jesus,  "  the  Good  Shepherd," 
gave  his  life  for  the  sheep,  knowing  beforehand 
that  this  would  be  required.  The  faithful  shepherd 
might  expose  himself  to  danger,  but  Avould  proba- 
bly escape;  Jesus  freely  gave  himself  to  die;  and 
even  when  the  cup  of  sufiering  might  not  pass 
from  him,  still  he  said,  "Not  my  will,  but  thine  be 
done." 

It  is  the  blood  of  Jesus,  shed  for  sinners,  that 
has  rescued  them  from  the  enemy,  and  placed  them 
in  safety  and  happiness.  Sin  had  made  a  separa- 
tion between  God  and  man,  guilt  rested  on  the  con- 
science, and  fallen  man  lay  under  the  power  of  the 
evil  one.  The  blood  of  Jesus  has  made  a  full  atone- 
ment for  sin,  and  now  every  believer  in  him  is  freed 


174   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

from  condemnation,  and  delivered  from  the  power 
of  Satan.  All  his  salvation  rests  upon  this  founda- 
tion, that  Jesus  died  for  him.  "The  good  shepherd 
grveth  his  life  for  the  sheep :"  these  words  express 
that  which  every  believer  takes  as  the  only  ground 
of  his  hope  and  trust. 

The  sense  of  this  redeeming  love  knits  his  heart 
to  Christ.  As  the  good  shepherd  knows  his  slieej), 
so  do  they  know  him.  If  the  sheep  of  Christ's 
flock  know  the  voice  of  the  faithful  under-shepherd, 
who  enters  in  to  them  by  the  door,  and  speaks  to 
them  the  words  of  truth,  much  more  do  they  know 
and  love  the  voice  of  the  Good  Shepherd  himself. 
They  hear  him  speaking  to  them  in  his  wordj  in  his 
dealings,  by  his  ministers,  by  his  Spirit.  They 
never  forget  his  love  in  dying  for  them,  and  this 
makes  them  hear  love  in  all  his  words,  and  see  love 
in  all  his  dealings.  Because  he  first  loved'  them, 
they  now  love  him.  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice, 
and  they  follow  me."  He  may  lead  them  at  times 
through  rough  places,  yet  will  they  follow  him.  He 
may  call  them  to  walk  in  darkness;  yet,  led  by  his 
voice,  they  will  follow  him  still.  He  will  never  lead 
them  wrong,  and  they  know  it.  The  way  may  at 
times  be  rough  and  dark,  but  it  will  conduct  them 
to  him,  that  where  he  is,  there  they  may  be  also; 
for  he  said,  "  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life ;  and  they 
shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hand." 

But  in  following  him  they  want  his  help.  In 
themselves  they  are  still  weak  and  prone  to  stray. 
The  Good  Shepherd  gave  his  life  for  them,  but  they 


THE   GOOD   SHEPHERD.  175 

want  his  grace  and  guidance  still.  Still  therefore 
he  watches  over  them  as  their  Shepherd.  "lam 
the  Good  Shepherd,"  he  says.  Not  merely  was  he 
so  when  he  died  for  them,  but  he  is  so  now.  He 
loves  them  now  as  much  as  when  he  gave  his  life 
for  them.  Their  safety  is  as  dear  to  him,  and  he  is 
as  much  engaged  in  providing  for  their  Avelfare. 
Tru^  that  which  marks  him  especially  as  the  Good 
Shepherd  is  that  he  gave  his  life  for  the  sheep; 
but  every  jiart  of  our  Shepherd's  dealings  is  of  a 
piece  with  that.  No  earthly  shepherd  is  so  Avatcli- 
ful  and  tender  in  his  care  over  his  sheep  as  our 
heavenly  Shepherd  is  towards  us.  He  kuoAvs  our 
dangers,  our  snares,  and  our  weaknesses.  He  sees 
every  byi^ath  into  which  we  might  wander  unsus- 
pecting, and  every  enemy  that  is  lying  in  wait  for 
us.  He  watches  over  us  every  moment  with  a  faith- 
■ful  and  loving  care.  Our  feeblest  cry  will  bring 
him  to  our  help.  One  upward  look  of  the  heart 
will  give  us  the  comfort  of  his  presence.  Our  safety 
is  to  keep  close  to  him,  listening  to  his  voice,  and 
following  where  he  leads. 

There  is  one  other  point  which  the  parable  sets 
before  us.  There  are  sheep  of  Christ  not  yet  gath- 
ered in.  "And  other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not 
of  this  fold:  them  also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall 
hear  my  voice;  and  there  shall  be  one  fold,  and  one 
shepherd."  Have  we  any  duty  towards  these  Avan- 
derers?  Have  we  any  thing  to  do  in  the  work  of 
bringing  them  in  ?  Yes ;  our  Lord  has  so  ordered 
it,  that  every  one  Avho  is  himself  Avithin  the  fold  is 
to  do  his  part  toAvards  bringing  in  others.    True,  it 


176   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOKD. 

is  the  Good  Sbeplierd  himself  who  will  bring  them 
in  :  "  Them  also  /  must  bring."  It  is  his  love,  his 
grace,  his  power,  his  word,  that  will  do  this  work. 
Yet  he  is  pleased  to  use  men  as  his  instruments. 
"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature,"  Wherever  any  are  found  outside 
the  fold,  whether  at  home  or  in  distant  lands,  there 
Christians  are  to  do  all  they  can  to  bring  them  in. 
We  pray  every  day,  "  Thy  kingdom  come."  We 
are  to  act  up  to  our  own  prayer.  Not  only  are  the 
ministers  of  Christ,  the  under-shepherds,  to  labor 
for  this;  but  private  Christians  too — the  sheep  of 
the  flock.  Do  we  not  know  that  it  is  the  nature  of 
sheep  to  follow  one  another  ?  Often  they  will  fol- 
low one  another  into  danger;  but  often,  on  the 
other  hand,  we  may  hear  the  shepherd  call,  and 
see  at  first  only  one  or  two  sheep  obey  the  voice, 
but  soon  another  and  another  goes  after  these  few,  • 
and  presently  the  whole  flock  is  in  motion  towards 
the  shepherd.  Thus  let  Christ's  sheep  lead  others 
to  him  by  following  him  themselves.  Let  every 
Christian  be  seen  following  Christ  in  a  holy  and 
consistent  life ;  and  let  him  miss  no  opportunity  of 
speaking  a  word  that  may  lead  some  wanderer 
home.  "  Them  also  I  must  bring,"  said  our  Sav- 
iour. Let  the  servants  of  Christ  be  like-minded 
with  their  Master;  and  when  they  see  numbers 
around  them  going  astray,  and  feel  withal  that  God 
has  placed  those  w^anderers  Avithin  their  reach,  and 
given  them  in  his  providence  some  special  means 
and  opportunities  for  doing  them  good,  then  let 
them   humbly  follow  their  Master's  pattern,   and 


THE  GOOD  SHEPHERD.  177 

say,  "TJiein  also  /must  bring."  The  work  by 
which  a  sinner  is  brought  to  God  is  God's  alone, 
yet  sinful  man  may  be  the  instrument  in  his  hand.' 
Happy  the  day,  when  there  shall  be  "one  fold  and 
one  shepherd."  And  happy  then,  he  who  shall 
have  done  his  part  under  the  Good  Shepherd  in 
bringing  these  wanderers  in. 


8* 


178   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


XXIV. 


The  Strait  pATE,  and  the  Shut  Doof^. 

"Strive  to  euter  iu  at  the  strait  gate:  for  many,  I  say  uuto 
yoii,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.  When  once  the 
master  of  the  house  is  risen  up,  and  hath  slint  to  the  door,  and  ye 
begin  to  stand  without,  and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying.  Lord, 
Lord,  open  unto  lis  ;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I 
know  you  not  whence  ye  are  :  Then  shall  ye  begin  to  say.  We 
have  eaten  and  drunk  in  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught  in  our 
streets.  But  he  shall  say,  I  tell  you,  I  know  you  aiot  whence  ye 
are  :  depart  from  me,  all  ye  M'orlcers  of  iniquity.  There  shall  be 
weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  when  ye  shall  see  Abraham,  and 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets,  in  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  you  yourselves  thrust  out.  And  they  shall  come  from  the  east, 
and  from  the  west,  and  from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,  and 
shall  sit  down  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  And,  behold,  there  are 
last  which  shall  be  tirst,  and  there  are  iirst  which  shall  be  last." 
Luke  13  :  -i-l-^O. 

HIS  passage,  tliougli  it  can  Larcllj  be 
looked  upon  as  one  connected  parable, 
'ct  contains  most  solemn  teaching  in  a 
)arable  form.  It  is  the  answer  to  a  ques- 
ion.  One  said  to  our  Lord,  "  Lord,  are 
there  few  that  be  saved  ?"  We  know  not 
who  or  what  this  person  was,  or  why  he  asked  such 
a  question  ;  but  the  answer  is  remarkable.  It  is  an 
answer,  and  yet  it  is  not  an  answer.  The  man  is 
not  told  in  words  whether  the  saved  are  few  or 
many,  but  he  is  solemnly  charged,  and  all  others 
are  charged  with  him,  to  strive  to  enter  in.  It 
might  be  idle  curiosity  that  led  to  the  question,  or 


STEAIT  GATE  AND   SHUT   DOOK.       179 

it  might  be  a  sincere  spirit  of  inquirj ;  but  even  in 
that  case,  the  great  point  was  not  to  know  about 
others,  but  to  make  sure  of  finding  entrance  our- 
selves. 

Let  us  dwell  on  three  points.  I.  The  strait 
gate;  II.  The  shut  door;  III.  The  striving  to  enter. 
I.  The  gate  is  called  "strait;"  but  this  is  quite 
a  different  word  from  "straight."  Straight  means 
that  which  is  not  crooked ;  strait  is  an  old-fashioned 
word,  not  much  used  now,  meaning  narrow.  Wo 
iind  the  same  word  used  by  our  Lord  in  Matt. 
7  :.13, 14;  and  there  he  explains  fully  what  the  strait 
gate  means.  "Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narroAV  is 
*the  way,  which  leadeth  unto  life."  The  strait  gate 
and  the  narrow  M-ay  mean  the  way  of  eternal  life, 
the  way  of  salvation,  the  gate  or  entrance  to 
heaven. 

But  why  is  it  called  strait  ?  Because  it  is  diffi- 
cult, because  so  many  miss  it,  because  there  is  no 
room  for  any  to  pass,  except  those  who  seek  to  en- 
ter by  one  wa}-,  the  way  which  God  has  appointed. 
"  Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it." 
The  way  of  destruction  is  broad,  and  the  gate  wide ; 
this  is  an  easy  course  indeed.  But  not  so  the  way 
of  life. 

Never  think  the  M'ay  of  life  eternal  to  be  easy, 
or  the  Christian's  course  to  be  mere  play.  It  is 
easy  to  walk  in  the  broad  road,  and  to  go  in  at  the 
wide  gate,  for  this  is  only  to  follow  natural  inclina- 
tion ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to  walk  in  the  way  of  life, 
and  to  go  in  by  the  strait  gate.    For  this  is  a  hum- 


180   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

bling,  self-denying  course.  This  requires  us  to  for- 
sake sin,  resist  temptation,  and  take  up  tlie  cross 
and  follow  Christ.  This  requires  us  to  give  up  all 
self-righteous  trust,  and  depend  entirely  on  the 
atoniug  blood  of  Christ,  coming  to  him  as  sinners 
to  be  saved  b}^  grace  alone.  We  must  know  our 
own  sinfulness  and  weakness,  we  must  part  with  all 
self-confidence,  we  must  rest  every  hope  on  Jesus 
Christ,  we  must  seek  strength  from  above,  we  must 
watch  and  pray  and  strive,  and  that  continually,  if 
Ave  would  go  in  at  that  gate. 

Yet  the  gate  is  the  gate  of  everlasting  glory,  and 
the  way  is  both  safe  and  happy.  " Her  wa^s  are 
ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace."" 
No  gate  but  the  strait  gate  opens  into  the  place  of 
perfect  happiness,  no  way  but  the  narrow  way  leads 
thither.  The  strait  gate,  narrow  and  difficult  as  it 
is,  is  the  gate  for  us  to  make  for ;  the  narrow  way 
is  the  road  for  us  to  tread.  Angels  in  heaven  re- 
joice when  a  wanderer  turns  his  steps  into  that 
way. 

The  strait  gate  is  also  an  open  gate.  Though 
narrow,  we  may  pass  through  it.  "  Strive  to  enter 
in,"  said  our  Lord.  He  would  not  have  said  so  if 
the  gate  had  been  shut.  The  way  is  clear,  for  he 
himself  is  the  way;  "I  am  the  way,"  he  said.  All 
who  will  are  invited  to  enter.  Christ  himself  has 
made  this  gate  an  open  gate  to  us.  He  has  opened 
the  way,  he  himself  invites  us  to  enter,  "  Strive  to 
enter  in." 

II.  Thus  the  case  stands  at  present;  the  strait 
gate  is  open,  and  we  are  told  to  strive  to  enter  in. 


STRAIT   GATE   AND  SHUT   DOOR.       181 

But  our  Lord  adds,  "  For  many,  I  say  uuto  you, 
will  seek  to  enter  hi,  and  shall  not  be  able."  What 
does  he  mean?  Does  he  make  a  difference  between 
striving  and  seeking?  Or  does  he  mean  that  any 
poor  souls  will  try  to  go  in  at  the  strait  gate,  while 
it  is  still  open,  and  not  be  able?  No,  he  does  not 
mean  this.  The  reason  why  some  will  not  find  ad- 
mittance, is  that  they  Avill  not  seek  to  enter  till  the 
door  is  shut. 

The  door  iciU  be  shut.  As  surely  as  the  strait 
gate  is  open  now,  so  surely  "vvill  it  be  shut  some  day ; 
and  once  shut,  it  cannot  be  opened  again.  This 
present  time  is  our  day  of  grace.  We  may  now  be 
pardoned  and  saved  through  Jesus  Christ.  But  if 
we  do  not  flee  to  him  now,  our  day  of  grace  will 
slip  away  and  come  to  an  end,  and  then  there  will 
be  no  more  hope  for  us.  This  is  the  meaning  of 
the  door  being  shut. 

Even  in  the  figure  or  parable  itself  there  is 
something  striking  and  awful  in  the  change  from 
open  to  shut.  One  moment,  and  you  may  go  in ; 
the  gate  is  narrow,  but  it  is  open  ;  there  is.room  for 
you  to  pass;  the  way  has  been  cleared  for  you ;  you 
are  even  invited,  persuaded,  exhorted  to  go  in.  An- 
other moment,  and  the  door  is  shut.  There  is  no 
entrance  now.  A  crowd  stands  without.  They 
knock  at  the  door;  they  knock  again  and  again; 
they  cry,  they  pray,  they  entreat.  But  all  in  vain. 
The  door  is  not  opened,  and  all  the  answer  they 
obtain  is  one  that  drives  them  to  despair;  "I  know 
you  not,  ....  depart  from  me."  Yet  who  are  these 
who  thus  stand  and  knock?    The  very  persons  who 


182       THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

might  so  lately  have  freely  gone  iu  at  the  strait 
gate.  It  was  opeu  to  them,  and  they  were  told  of 
it,  and  invited  to  enter.  But  they  would  not.  And 
now  it  is  too  late,  for  the  door  is  shut ! 

But  much  more  awful  is  it  to  consider  more 
closely  and  plainly  what  this  figure  means.  The 
door  shut,  and  the  persons  standing  without,  rep- 
resent those  as  lost  who  might  have  been  saved. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  made  known  to  them 
as  the  way ;  they  knew  the  gospel,  and  were  in  the 
habit  of  paying  an  outward  attention  to  religion. 
This  is  plain,  for  they  say,  "  We  have  eaten  and 
drunk  iu  thy  presence,  and  thou  hast  taught  iu  our 
streets."  They  were  not  all  people  of  bad  lives — 
drunkards,  liars,  thieves,  and  such  like.  Many  of 
them  were  respectable  as  to  outward  conduct,  lead- 
ing a  regular  life,  church-goers,  perhaps  even  com- 
municants. Yet  thej^  are  not  among  the  saved ; 
they  are  shut  out.  Why  ?  "  Depart  from  me,  all 
ye  workers  of  iniquity."  That  sentence  exj)laius 
all.  Whatever  they  might  be  iu  the  sight  of  men, 
or  in  profession  or  outward  observance,  they  were 
in  God's  sight  workers  of  iniquity.  For  they  w^ere 
sinners,  and  they  did  not  flee  to  the  Saviour  of  sin- 
ners; though  tbey  heard  the  word,  they  did  not 
truly  lay  it  to  heart ;  with  all  their  spiritual  advan- 
tages, and  with  all  their  outward  attention  to  reli- 
gion, they  never  repented,  never  sought  the  Sav- 
iour's blood,  never  gave  their  hearts  to  God;  they 
did  not  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  or  strive  to 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate.  Thus  they  had  no  part 
in  Christ,  and  were  therefore  yet  in  their  sins — 


STRAIT  GATE  AND  SHUT  DOOR.       183 

"workers  of  iniquity"  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  so 
shut  out. 

Oh,  think  what  it  would  be  to  stand  there  out- 
side the  door,  Avith  the  door  slait  !  To  look  back 
on  the  time  past,  Avheu  the  door  was  open ;  to  re- 
member words  heard  and  read  in  b^-gone  years, 
words  of  warning,  of  invitation,  of  mercy,  love,  and 
salvation ;  to  think  of  many  a  gracious  call,  and 
many  a  heart-searching  appeal,  and  many  a  solemn 
warning;  and  to  know  that  it  is  now  too  late  !  No 
more  warnings  or  appeals,  no  more  calls,  no  more 
words  of  love  and  mercy;  all  these  are  past,  the 
time  for  them  is  gone,  the  door  is  shut,  and  shut 
for  ever. 

III.  The  lesson  from  such  a  picture,  the  lesson 
from  the  whole  subject,  is  this:  "Strive  to  enter  in 
at  the  strait  gate." 

"  Strive  to  enter  in."  This  is  a  very  strong 
word,  the  strongest  word  we  have,  perhaps,  to  ex- 
press seeking,  trying,  endeavoring.  In  the  ancient 
games  of  running  and  wrestling,  men  used  to  put 
forth  all  their  strength  and  speed,  and  to  do  their 
very  utmost  to  win  the  prize ;  and  this  word  "  strive" 
is  the  word  made  use  of  to  express  this.  Thus  St. 
Paul  writes  of  those  "  that  strive  for  the  mastery." 
In  another  place,  when  he  is  begging  the  Corin- 
thians to  be  very  earnest  in  prajer,  he  uses  the 
same  word  :  "  I  beseech  you,  brethren,  ....  that  ye 
strive  together  with  me  in  your  prayers  to  God  for 
me."  And  we  ourselves,  if  we  see  one  very  diligent, 
and  very  much  in  earnest  in  his  worldly  calling,  are 
apt  to  call  such  a  man  "  a  striving  man."    Our  Lord 


184   THE  PARABLES  OP  OUR  LORD. 

bids  us  strive  about  our  souls,  strive  to  enter  in. 
Many  give  only  half  a  heart  to  this  work,  but  we 
must  give  a  whole  heart.  Many  strive  hard  about 
this  world,  but  not  at  all  about  the  next ;  active, 
diligent,  persevering  in  business,  but  cold  and.  list- 
less in  religion.  This  will  not  do.  "  Strive  to  enter 
.in,"  our  Lord  saj's.  He  would  not  have  said  so  if 
Avo  could  get  in  without  striving.  True,  he  himself 
is  the  way,  the  living  way.  He,  and  he  alone,  has 
made  open  the  entrance  to  us;  and  whoever  enters 
will  owe  all  his  salvation  to  him.  Yet  we  are  to 
strive.  Jesus  himself  tells  us  to  strive.  No  one 
can  strive  too  earnestly.  It  must  be  the  first  con- 
cern with  us  all.  Whatever  else  we  are  diligent 
about,  we  should  be  most  diligent  about  this ;  what- 
ever else  we  strive  for,  we  should,  strive  for  this 
most  of  all:  that  Ave  may  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate, 
and  find  acceptance  with  God  through  Christ  Jesus. 
If  we  should  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  this, 
what  would  it  profit  us  ? 

But  Ave  must  not  only  strive;  Ave  must  strive 
now.  Our  Lord  teaches  us  not  only  that  Ave  are  to 
seek  aboA'e  every  thing  else  that  we  may  enter  in, 
but  also  that  we  are  to  be  sure  to  do  this  while  the 
door  is  yet  open.  "  For  many,  I  say  unto  you,  Avill 
seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able."  Yes,  they 
Avill  seek,  and  seek  earnestly.  No  more  coldness  or 
unconcern  then.  No  more  formal  worship,  no  more 
praj-erless  prayers.  Now  at  length  they  are  in  ear- 
nest. They  seek  to  enter  in.  That  is  all  they  care 
for.  Their  riches,  their  business,  their  pleasures, 
Avhat  are  all  these  to  them  noAv  ?     Nothing.     Let 


STKAIT   GATE  AND  SHUT   DOOE.       185 

but  the  door  be  opened  once  more,  let  but  an  en- 
trance be  given  to  them.  That  is  all  the}^  seek,  all 
they  think  of  now.  "Lord,  Lord,  open  unto  us!" 
Ah,  why  did  the}'  not  seek  thus  earnestly  before? 
TVliy  did  they  not  put  up  such  a  prayer  while  yet 
their  day  of  grace  lasted.  Time  was  when  not  a 
cry  would  have  been  unheeded,  not  a  prayer  un- 
heard ;  Avhy  did  they  put  off  crying  for  admittance 
till  the  door  was  shut  ?  Why  did  they  never  pray 
in  earnest  till  the  time  for  hearing  prayer  was  past? 
Do  not  you  so.  Be  not  j'ou  found  among  those 
who  will  seek  to  enter  in  and  not  be  able.  •  "  Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  Strive  no7c.  If  j-ou 
have  not  yet  begun,  begin  at  once.  If  you  have 
hitherto  put  it  off — for  an}'  thing  in  all  the  world, 
for  business,  for  family  cares,  for  any  thing  what- 
ever— put  it  off  no  more.  This  is  a  matter  that  will 
not  bear  putting  off.  While  you  are  putting  it  off, 
the  door  ma}'  be  shut.  It  is  open  now ;  and  the 
Lord  Jesus  himself  says  to  you,  "  Strive  to  enter 
in."  ,  He  says  also,  "I  am  the  way,  the  truth,  and 
the  life;"  and  again,  "Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will 
in  no  wise  cast  out." 


186   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

XXV. 

The    Guests    who    Chose   the     Chief 


f 


OOMS. 


"And  he  put  forth  a  parable  to  those  which  were  bidden,  when 
he  marked  how  they  chose  out  the  chief  rooms:  saying  unto  them. 
When  thou  art  bidden  of  any  man  to  a  wedding,  sit  not  down  in 
tlie  liighest  room;  lest  a  more  honorable  man  than  thou  be  bidden 
of  him  ;  and  he  that  bade  thee  and  him  come  and  say  to  thee, 
Give  this  man  place  ;  and  thou  begin  with  shame  to  take  the  low- 
est room.  But  when  thou  art  bidden,  go  and  sit  down  in  the  low- 
est room  ;  that  when  he  that  bade  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  unto 
thee.  Friend,  go  up  higher  :  then  shalt  thou  have  worship  in  the 
presence  of  them  that  sit  at  meat  with  thee.  For  whosoever  exalt- 
eth  himself  shall  be  abased  ;  and  he  that  hurableth  himself  shall 
be  exalted."     Luke  14  :  7-11. 

'^L^HIS  is  a  parable  of  the  simplest  kind,  a 
general  lesson  drawn  from  a  particular 


instance ;  the  lesson  is  humility,  the  in- 
stance is  the  choosing  of  a  place  at  a  feast. 
Our  Lord  had  gone  into  the  house  of 
one  of  the  Pharisees  to  eat  bread  on  the 
Sabbath-day  (ver.  1),  and  it  Avas  probably  then  that 
he  saw  the  other  guests  striving  for  the  chief  places. 
This  was  the  common  practice  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees.  Our  Lord  said  of  them  elsewhere,  that 
they  "loved  the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts,  and  the 
chief  seats  in  the  synagogues." 

AVe  are  not  to  suppose  that  the  feast  was  held 
in  different  rooms.    Probably  it  was  all  in  one  room, 


CHOOSING  THE  CHIEF  ROOMS.       187 

but  at  different  tables.  The  guests  sat,  or  rather 
reclined,  on  benches  or  couches  ranged  along  the 
tables,  and  one  of  these  no  doubt  was  the  place  of 
honor.  There  probably  the  giyer  of  the  feast  sat, 
and  all  tried  to  be  as  near  to  him  as  possible.  By 
"  the  highest  room,"  therefore,  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  chief  bench  or  couch. 

It  does  not  appear  that  this  eating  of  bread  at 
the  Pharisee's  house  on  the  Sabbath-day  was  any 
thing  more  than  a  common  meal,  to  which  the  Phar- 
isee, had  invited  our  Lord  and  a  number  of  other 
guests.  Yet  even  on  so  common  an  occasion  all 
sought  for  the  best  places.  Much  more  would  they 
do  so  on  greater  occasions,  such  as  a  wedding-feast. 
Our  Lord  therefore  draws  the  lesson,  not  from  the 
meal  of  which  he  was  then  partaking,  but  from  a 
wedding-feast :  "  When  thou  art  bidden  of  any  man 
to  a  wedding,  sit  not  down  in  the  highest  room," 
or  on  the  chief  seat. 

The  reason  which  our  Lord  gives  for  their  not 
doing  so  is  one  which  his  hearers  would  be  likely 
to  feel.  It  would  be  a  great  mortification  to  their 
pride  if,  after  they  had  secured  the  chief  place,  the 
master  of  the  house  should  make  them  give  way  to 
some  more  important  guest.  Not  only  would  the 
chief  seat  be  lost,  but  b}'  that  time  the  best  of  the 
lower  places  would  be  filled,  and  nothing  would  be 
left  for  them  but  one  of  the  lowest  of  all.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  would  be  a  great  honor  if,  after  they 
had  modestly  sat  doAni  in  a  low  place,  the  master 
shoul  bid  them  move  to  a  higher.  In  that  case  all 
the  other  guests  would  pay  them  respect,  and  the 


188   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

change  from  loAver  to  higher  would  bring  them  even 
more  honor  than  if  they  had  taken  the  highest 
place  at  first  and  been  able  to  keep  it. 

From  this  supposed  case  our  Lord  draws  a  gen- 
eral warning  against  self-exaltation  and  a  lesson  of 
humility :  "  For  whosoever  exalteth  himself  shall 
be  abased ;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be 
exalted."  But  we  are  not  to  suppose  that  he  means 
us  to  be  influenced  by  no  higher  motive  than  the 
wish  to  be  moved  up  higher  after  having  taken  a 
low  place.  This  would  be  but  another  way  of  gain- 
ing tJie  same  object.  This  would  be  to  do  in  a  less 
direct  manner  the  very  thing  which  he  bids  us  not 
to  do.  This  would  be,  not  humility,  but  "the  pride 
that  apes  humility."  The  truly  humble  guest  would 
take  a  low  place,  from  a  feeling  that  it  was  the  right 
place  for  him,  and  from  a  dislike  to  putting  himself 
forward,  not  from  the  secret  hope  that  he  would 
be  seated  all  the  higher  for  it  in  the  end.  In  like 
manner,  he  who  is  truly  humble  in  other  things  not 
only  acts  outwardly  in  a  humble  manner,  but  feels 
humble,  and  is  humble.  He  does  not  calculate  what 
will  be  the  consequence  of  his  taking  a  low  place 
before  men ;  he  does  so  sincerely  and  truly ;  this  is 
the  only  place  of  which  he  thinks  himself  worthy ; 
and  it  is  often  a  great  surprise  to  such  a  man  when 
others  take  a  different  view  of  what  he  deserves, 
and  bid  him  "go  up  higher." 

The  whole  spirit  of  our  holy  religion  is  opposed 
to  self-exaltation.  We  must  become  as  little  chil- 
dren, if  we  would  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God. 
"\Ve  are  to  humble  ourselves  under  the  miglity  hand 


CHOOSING  TIIE   CHIEF  EOOMS.       189 

of  God ;  we  are  invited  to  look  iu  faitli  to  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  be  saved,  but  we  are  to  look  as 
siiDiers.  If  we  do  not  come  to  Jesus  humbly,  we  do 
not  really  come  at  all.  "  Grod,  I  thank  thee  that  I 
am  not  as  other  men  are !"  was  a  wav  of  addressiuo; 
God  that  found  no  acceptance.  "  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner !"  was  a  praj-er  that  was  heard  and  an- 
swered. The  self-righteous  will  hereafter  be  cov- 
ered with  shame  and  confusion  of  fuee,  and  will  be 
abased  indeed ;  while  they  who  shall  have  trulj-  hum- 
bled themselves  for  sin,  and  sought  the  blood  of 
sprinkling,  and  thenceforth  tried  to  walk  humbly 
with  their  God,  will  be  exalted  far  above  their  high- 
est hopes. 

Yet,  strange  to  say,  some  who  hold  such  doc- 
trines and  principles  as  these,  and  seem  to  hold 
them  sincerelv,  and  to  feel  and  act  accordinglv  with 
regard  to  their  souls'  concerns,  do  yet  by  no  means 
shov\^  a  spirit  of  humilit}*  in  other  tilings,  but  are 
often  proud,  ambitious,  and  self-exalting.  It  seems 
as  if  they  could  be  humble  before  God,"  but  not 
humble  with  regard  to  men.  There  is  something- 
wrong  here ;  there  must  be  something  Avanting  in 
their  contrition  before  God,  their  sense  of  unwor- 
thiness,  their  feeling  of  the  evil  of  sin.  For  the 
heart  that  is  truly  humbled  before  God  cannot  but 
be  humble  towards  men  also.  A  broken  and  con- 
trite spirit  cannot  dwell  in  the  same  heart  with  a 
spirit  of  pride  and  self-exaltation.  A  humble  man 
is  humble  in  all  things.  And  one  who  is  vain  and 
ambitious  with  regard  to  his  fellow-creatures,  and 
desires  to  have  the  first  ]ilacc  among  them,  ought 


190   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

to  examine  himself  very  strictly  as  to  the  state  of 
his  heart  towards  God,  lest  pride  should  be  lurking 
there  still. 

Yet  it  must  be  granted  that  the  desire  to  get  on 
in  the  world  is  natural  to  us,  and  is  not  always 
wrong,  even  though  we  must  in  some  measure  get 
on  at  the  expense  of  others,  whom  we  leave  behind 
and  perhaps  displace.  Life  is  in  this  respect  like 
a  race  ;  some  win,  others  lose ;  some  are  successful 
and  prosperous,  others  meet  with  little  but  failure. 
There  is  nothing  wrong  in  doing  our  best  to  suc- 
ceed, if  only  we  maintain  a  right  spirit  and  act  on 
right  principles.  In  seeking  to  get  on  ourselves, 
we  need  not  desire  to  keep  others  back.  On  the 
contrary,  we  may  often  lend  them  a  helping  hand. 
An  honest  and  moderate  endeavor  to  advance  our- 
selves is  not  inconsistent  with  true  humility,  and 
we  may  seek  to  raise  ourselves  without  any  thing 
of  pride,  envy,  or  jealousy. 

But  all  such  desires  must  be  watched ;  for  the 
heart  is  deceitful,  and  the  world  is  ensnaring.  And 
the  words  of  our  Lord  must  never  be  forgotten, 
"  Seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  right- 
eousness ;"  nor  those  of  the  apostle,  "  Set  your  affec- 
tion on  things  above,  not  on  things  on  the  earth." 
There,  indeed,  we  cannot  desire  too  much  or  seek 
too  high  a  place.  There  the  humblest  will  be  high- 
est, and  they  who  have  not  sought  for  themselves 
the  great  things  of  this  world  will  be  great  indeed. 
At  the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb  there  will 
be  no  misplacing  of  the  guests,  no  moving  up  or 
moving  down ;   none  of  the  proud  or  self-exalting 


CHOOSING   THE  CHIEF   ROOMS.       191 

will  sit  down  there,  and  not  one  bumble  disciple 
will  be  missing.  Each  guest  will  be  placed  b}- 
the  Master  himself;  none  will  be  mortified  or  dis- 
contented, but  all  will  be  satisfied,  all  thankful, 
all  happy,  all  glorious.  That  is  what  we  are  to 
seek  first. 


/ 


192       THE   PARABLES  OF   OUR  LORD. 


XXVI. 

REAT    Supper. 


The    P  _ 

"Then  said  he  unto  him,  A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper, 
and  bade  many  :  and  sent  his  servant  at  siipper  time  to  say  to  thera 
that  were  bidden,  Come  ;  for  all  things  are  now  ready.  And  they 
all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  exci;se.  The  first  said  unto 
him,  I  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground,  and  I  must  needs  go  and 
see  it :  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused.  And  another  said,  I  have 
bought  five  yoke  of  oxen,  and  I  go  to  prove  them  :  I  pray  thee 
have  me  exciised.  And  another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife,  and 
therefore  I  cannot  come.  So  that  servant  came,  and  showed  his 
lord  these  things.  Then  the  master  of  the  house  being  angry  said 
to  his  servant.  Go  out  quickly  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the 
city,  and  bring  in  hither  the  i^oor,  and  the  maimed  and  the  halt, 
and  the  blind.  And  the  servant  said.  Lord,  it  is  done  as  thou 
hast  commanded,  and  j'et  there  is  room.  And  the  lord  said  unto 
the  servant.  Go  out  into  the  highways  and  hedges,  and  compel 
them  to  come  in,  that  my  house  may  be  filled.  For  I  say  unto 
you,  that  none  of  those  men  which  were  bidden  shall  taste  of  my 
Bupper."    Luke  U  :  lG-24  ;  see  also  Matt.  22  :  1-10. 

'HIS  parable  was  spoken  by  our  Lord 
■svLile  sittino;  at  meat  in  the  Pharisee's 


.  --^!<-H]    house,  b}'  way  of  answer  to  what  one  of 

\^Jj    those  present  had  said:    "Blessed  is  he 

^VT^    that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  kingdom  of 

God."     Those  words  therefore  help  us  to 

understand  the  parable.     They  plainly  refer  to  a 

spiritual  feast,  and  so  does  the  parable. 

The  "certain  man"  means  Almighty  God:  the 
great  supper- means  the  provision  which  God  has 
made  for  our  souls  in  the  gospel;  the  "many"  Avho 
are  bidden  to  it  mean  all  to  whom  the  gospel  comes. 


THE  GREAT  SUPPER.  193 

I  pass  over  the  application  of  the  parable  to  the 
Jewish  nation,  because  that  concerns  us  less  than 
its  application  to  ourselves ;  only  remarking  that 
the  Jews  were  invited  first,  and  that  when  they  as 
a  nation  refused  the  invitation,  then  it  was  given  to 
others ;  first  to  the  nations  nearest  to  the  Jews,  and 
then  to  all  the  nations  of  the  world.  Long  before 
Christ  came,  the  Jews  knew  the  will  of  God,  and 
bad  the  promise  of  the  Messiah ;  thus,  in  a  general 
way,  they  were  bidden ;  when  our  Lord  came,  they 
were  invited  at  once  to  believe  in  him,  for  the  spir- 
itual feast  was  then  ready :  but  they  rejected  Christ, 
and  then  the  gospel  was  preached  to  the  Gentiles. 
Our  Lord's  parting  command  was :  "  Go  ye  into  all 
the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  crea- 
ture." 

Passing  from  this,  let  us  now  consider  the  para- 
ble more  closely  as  applying  to  ourselves. 

God  has  made  a  great  supper,  the  gospel  plan 
of  salvation.  It  is  great  in  every  way.  It  supplies 
a  great  need,  it  is  large  enough  for  all,  it  will  fully 
satisfy  all  who  partake  of  it ;  it  is  rich  and  plenti- 
ful, and  will  not  only  feed  those  who  are  spiritually 
hungiy,  but  will  make  them  happy  too.  It  is  also 
a  great  supper,  because  the  guests  are  man}^ ;  for 
though  many  refuse,  yet  great  numbers  accept  the 
invitation.  Already  the  whole  body  of  believers 
throughout  the  world  is  large ;  but  what  .will  the 
number  be  when  all  the  guests  of  every  age  and 
country  are  gathered  together  at  the  feast  above  ? 

We  are  bidden  to  this  supper.  The  man  in  the 
parable  bade  many.     God  also  has  invited  many; 

Paiablea.  9 


194   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

he  lias  invited  lis,  for  we  have  heard  the  gospel,  and 
it  is  in  the  gospel  that  the  call  is  given.  The  invi- 
tation is  quite  free ;  there  is  nothing  to  pay.  Just 
as  we  are,  we  are  invited  to  go  to  Christ ;  and  in 
him  are  offered  to  us  freely  pardon,  life,  salvation, 
peace,  heaven. 

This  invitation  has  come  to  us ;  but,  more  than 
that,  it  does  still  come  to  us  continually.  The  par- 
able represents  one  message  only,  when  the  feast 
was  actually  spread:  "Come,  for  all  things  are  now 
ready;"  but  we  are  alwaj'S  receiving  the  message 
of  the  gospel  afresh.  Every  time  we  hear  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  eveiy  time  we  open  the 
Bible,  the  gracious  call  comes  to  us  again,  in  one 
shape  or  another,  "Come,  for  all  things  are  now 
ready." 

What  have  we  done,  and  what  are  we  doing 
with  regard  to  the  gospel  call  ?  That  is  the  main 
point  in  the  parable.  Those  to  whom  the  message 
was  sent,  "Come,  for  all  things  are  now  ready," 
"  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse."  This 
does  not  mean  that  they  agreed  among  themselves 
what  to  do  and  say,  for  they  were  not  together 
when  the  message  was  brought ;  it  came  to  each 
separately.  But  the  meaning  is,  that  they  were  all 
of  one  mind  in  the  matter;  none  of  them  had  any 
wish  to  be  at  the  supper;  all  alike  tried  to  find  an 
excuse.  .  The  excuses  were  various,  but  the  mind 
was  the  same :  they  would  not  go. 

How  exactly  this  represents  what  takes  place 
with  regard  to  the  gospel.  Sinners  are  invited  to 
go  to  Christ,  but  they  have  no  wish  to  go.     They 


THE  GEEAT   SUPPER.  195 

feel  no  need  of  him,  aud  see  nothing  to  desire  in 
him.  The  comphiint  of  the  prophet  comes  true  : 
"  "Who  hath  beheved  our  report  ?"  And  our  Lord's 
own  words  are  fulfilled  :  "Ye  will  not  come  unto  me, 
that  ye  might  have  life."  Therefore  they  make  ex- 
cuse; not  in  words,  perhaps,  but  in  deed.  They 
hear  the  gospel ;  that  they  can  hardly  help  doing. 
Perhaps  some  may  even  feel  at  times  half  drawn  to 
accept  it.  But  they  do  not  obey  the  call.  Their 
will  is  not  that  wa}'.  Some  reason  they  will  find 
for  refusing,  or  if  not  refusing,  neglecting;  and  to 
neglect  is  really  to  refuse.  And  they  do  find  a  rea- 
son. Whether  it  satisfies  even  their  own  conscience 
may  be  a  question. 

But  the  excuses  in  the  parable  look  at  first  sight 
like  real  and  good  excuses.  No  doubt  the  ground 
and  the  oxen  had  been  bought,  and  the  wife  had 
been  latel}^  taken  in  marriage.  Yet  the  invitations 
to  that  supper  ought  to  have  outweighed  all.  "What- 
ever had  happened,  they  ought  to  have  gone.  We 
see  this  more  clearly  in  the  explanation  than  in  the 
parable  itself.  For  the  supper,  as  we  have  seen, 
means  the  gospel,  and  the  gospel  call  must  be  obey- 
ed in  spite  of  all  hinderances,  and  nothing  whatever 
ran  form  a  good  excuse  for  not  obeying  it.  These 
men  did  not  stay  away  for  the  purpose  of  doing  any 
thing  wrong ;  the  things  were  right  in  themselves. 
And,  in  the  same  waj^  the  things  by  which  men  ex- 
cuse themselves  from  obeying  the  gospel  and  seek- 
ing Christ  are  not  always  wrong  things.  Often, 
very  often,  they  are,  but  by  no  means  alwaj'S. 

One  of  these  men  had  bought  a  piece  of  ground, 


196   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

and  tliougbt  himself  bound  to  go  and  see  it.  Thus 
it  often  is,  that  men  of  great  possessions  let  their 
possessions  hinder  them  from  attending  to  their 
souls.  And  not  only  men  of  great  possessions. 
Here  it  was  but  one  piece  of  ground  that  kept  the 
man  from  the  feast.  A  very  small  share  of  worldly 
goods  will  keep  a  man  from  Christ,  if  the  heart  be 
too  much  set  upon  it.  A  worldly  and  covetous  mind 
is  not  confined  to  the  rich.  Such  a  person  does  not 
speak  perhaps  like  the  man  in  the  parable,  and  say 
in  words  that  he  cannot  and  will  not  attend  to  the 
call  of  God  because  of  his  possessions.  But  he  does 
in  fact  let  them  hinder  him.  His  mind  is  full  of 
worldly  things;  his  pleasures  are  all  drawn  from 
what  he  has  got;  his  chief  desire  is  to  get  more; 
he  has  no  room  in  his  thoughts  for  the  things  of 
God,  far  less  can  he  give  them,  what  they  timst 
have,  the  first  place.  He  might  lawfully  look  to 
his  property.  Nay,  he  ought  to  do  so.  But  he 
ought  not  to  let  it  stand  in  the  way  of  his  soul. 
Lands  and  houses,  old  possessions  and  new,  all 
should  come  second  to  salvation.  When  Christ 
calls,  we  must  be  prepared  to  leave  all,  if  need  be, 
and  follow  him. 

The  second  man  must  go  and  try  his  new  oxen ; 
that  was  his  excuse.  He  was  doubtless  a  careful 
and  industrious  man,  and  at  another  time  this 
would  have  been  quite  right ;  but  not  when  he  was 
called  to  that  supper.  As  worldly  possessions  must 
not  stand  in  the  w^ay  of  our  souls,  no  more  should 
worldly  business,  or  work.  Yet  it  often  does.  Some 
men  are  so  busy  that  they  cannot  find  time  for  reli- 


THE  GEEAT  SUPPEE.  197 

gion.  They  almost  say  so.  Some  clay,  they  think, 
their  business  will  be  less  engrossing,  their  work 
lighter;  then  they  will  attend  to  such  things,  for 
they  know  they  ought  to  be  attended  to.  Alas, 
that  time  may  never  come,  or  not  till  it  is  too  late. 
Some  there  are  who  think  and  speak  thus;  but  per- 
haps there  are  more  still  who  act  so  without  saying 
so.  Their  life  is  one  almost  unbroken  course  of 
business,  work,  and  v»'orldly  anxiety.  Their  busi- 
ness may  be  honestly  conducted,  their  work  faith- 
fully done,  and  their  anxieties  may  but  spring  nat- 
urally from  their  large  concerns.  Their  fault  is, 
not  in  being  men  of  business,  or  working  men,  but 
in  letting  work  or  business  thrust  out  religion,  and 
keep  them  back  from  Christ.  "  Business  must  be 
attended  to,"  such  men  are  wont  to  say;  "work 
must  be  done."  Another  "mv.st''  may  be  the  an- 
swer to  them.  "  The  soul  must  be  cared  for,  Christ 
must  be  sought,  the  gospel  must  be  heartily  re- 
ceived, or  you  are  undone  for  ever."  And  this 
"must"  is  the  stronger  of  the  two.  It  never  can 
bo  right  to  be  kept  back  fi'om  true  religion  b}^ 
worldly  business  or  work.  It  is  a  very  common 
excuse,  but  it  will  no  more  prevail  than  did  that  of 
the  man  in  the  parable. 

The  third  man  excused  himself  by  his  having 
lately  married  a  wife.  Family  reasons  are  often 
made  an  excuse  for  not  attending  to  religion.  The 
most  common  instance,  perhaps,  is  that  of  the 
mother  of  a  young  family.  Some  young  mothers 
never,  or  almost  never,  enter  the  house  of  God, 
They  cannot,  they  say ;  they  have  so  much  to  do 


198   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

at  home.  But  other  young  mothers  do,  though 
with  difficulty;  and,  generally  speaking,  what  one 
does,  another  may  do.  The  chief  difference  is  in 
the  will.  A  mother  who  very  much  wishes  to  go  to 
the  house  of  God,  will  find  that  she  can  often  do 
so.  One  who  has  no  wish  at  all  to  go  is  ready  to 
catch  at  any  excuse.  But  going  to  the  house  of 
God  is  not  in  itself  accepting  the  gospel  call,  but 
only  going  to  hear  it  again  and  to  join  in  worship. 
To  accept  the  call  of  the  gospel  is  something  deeper ; 
it  is  to  repent,  and  believe  in  Jesus,  and  close  with 
God's  ofi'er  of  salvation  by  him.  A  person  may  be 
a  steady  church-goer,  and  yet  not  do  this.  Family 
cares  are  often  made  an  excuse  for  not  thus  giving 
the  heart  to  God.  The  heart  of  the  careful  and 
anxious  mother  is  quite  filled  with  thoughts  of  her 
children.  She  seems  to  live  "but  for  them.  And  is 
not  this  right  ?  Is  she  not  their  mother  V  Is  she 
not  bound  to  care  for  them  ?  Yes ;  but  not  in  such 
a  way  as  to  lead  her  not  to  care  for  her  own  sou! 
God  never  places  us  in  any  circumstances  in  whicli 
we  may  not  serve  him  and  do  his  will.  The  busiest 
mother  of  a  family  ought  still  to  be  seeking  God 
first.  No  family  cares  ought  to  keep  her  from  com- 
ing to  Christ,  as  she  is  invited  to  do  in  the  gospel. 
Family  duties  are  very  important  and  very  press- 
ing, but  this  is  the  great  concern;  and  family  duties 
would  be  all  the  better  done,  and  children  would  be 
better  cared  for,  better  brought  up,  ay,  and  made 
happier  too,  if  parents  would  but  seek  first  the 
kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness.  This  is  an- 
other vain  excuse.     It  looks  right,  but  it  is  wrong. 


THE   GREAT   SUPPEE.  199 

But  if  it  is  wrong  to  be  kept  back  from  serious 
religion  by  famil}^  cares,  still  more  so  is  it  to  let  the 
love  of  pleasure  be  the  hiuderaiice.  Perliaps  tlie 
case  of  the  third  man  may  point  to  this  also.  He 
wished  to  enjo}'  the  society  of  his  newly  married 
wife,  and  therefore  would  not  go  to  the  feast;  many 
are  so  bent  upon  worldly  pleasures,  often  of  a  less 
innocent  kind,  that  they  cannot  or  will  not  give 
their  Rearts  to  spiritual  things.  This  is  espcciall}'- 
the  case  with  the  young.  Youth-  is  the  season  of 
-enjoyment ;  all  looks  bright  then,  and  no  one  would 
wish  to  damp  youthful  spirits,  or  to  interfere  with 
the  keen  delight  which  the  young  take  in  what 
pleases  them.  Yet  there  is  no  time  of  life  at  which 
the  concerns  of  the  soul  ought  not  to  be  first.  Our 
chief  pleasures,  in  youth  as  well  as  in  after  years,- 
should  be  drawn  from  things  spiritual;  and  that 
person  mud  be  wrong,  whether  j'oung  or  old,  who 
allows  worldly  pleasures  to  keep  him  from  Christ. 

The  love  of  pleasure  should  be  watched  against 
even  by  those  who  are  not  thus  utterly  thoughtless, 
for  they  too  are  in  danger  from  it.  Too  much  in- 
dulgence in  this  way  blunts  the  spiritual  afiections, 
and  takes  away  the  taste  for  serious  things.  And 
there  is  danger  also  of  being  led  to  join  in  things  in 
which  a  Christian  ought  to  have  no  part,  and  thus  ' 
to  seek  to  serve  two  masters.  Man}',  who  seemed 
to  begin  well,  have  been  gradually  drawn  back  to 
the  world  by  a  too  great  fondness  for  its  pleasures; 
and  manj^  a  young  and  promising  disciple  has 
seemed  to  stop  in  his  growth  through  the  same 
cause.      There  is  awful  danger  in  such  cases  of 


200   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD.  . 

proving  at  last  to  liave  Lad  only  "  the  form  of  god- 
liness;" for  religious  liabits  may,  in  some  degree, 
be  maintained,  while  yet  the  heart  is  kept  back 
from  God  through  the  love  of  pleasure. 

The  master  of  the  house  did  not  accept  these 
excuses;  he  was  angry  with  the  men  who  made 
them.  God  also  is  displeased  with  those  who  do 
not  accept  his  offered  mercy  in  Christ.  He  sees 
*  through  all  their  vain  excuses.  They  may  deceive 
themselves,  but  they  cannot  deceive  him.  It  is 
highly  disj)leasiug  in  his  sight  when  those  to  Avliom 
the  gospel  comes  suffer  riches  or  business  or  family 
cares  or  worldly  pleasures  or  any  other  cause  to 
hinder  them  from  believing  and  accepting  it. 

The  anger  of  the  master  in  the  parable  was 
•shown  in  his  telling  his  servants  to  go  and  call  in 
other  guests  instead  of  those  who  would  not  come.* 
First  they  were  to  go  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of 
the  city,  and  bring  in  "  the  poor,  and  the  maimed, 
and  the  halt,* and  the  blind;"  and  when  there  was 
still  room  left,  they  were  to  go  "  into  the  highways 
and  hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in."  As  for 
those  who  had  made  excuse,  they  should  not  taste 
of  the  supper.  They  who  neglect  the  gospel  are  in 
great  danger  of  having  the  gospel  taken  away  from 
them.  Not  to  speak  of  death,  which  may  carry  off 
the  worldly  and  careless  in  a  moment,  the  faithful 
preaching  of  the  word  may  be  removed  from  those 
who  would  not  attend  to  it,  and  taken  to  some  place 
where  it  has  not  hitherto  been.  Doubtless  this  often 
happens  in  the- providence  of  God.  And  then,  most 
likely,  they  who  used  at  times  to  feel  the  power  of 


THE  GEEAT  SUPPER.  201 

the  word,  though  they  would  not  obey  it,  become 
quite  careless.  Even  if  the  gospel  be  not  thus  re- 
moved, yet  the  end  of  all  who  excuse  themselves 
from  its  call  must  be  that  they  will  be  shut  out  at 
last.  They  are  awful  words:  "I  say  unto  you  that 
none  of  those  men  which  were  bidden  shall  taste  of 
my  supper."  Think  what  they  mean :  men  invited, 
refusing  or  neglecting,  and  then  shut  out!  This 
_  will  be  the  case  with  those  who  neglect  the  gospet* 
invitation. 

There  is  something  in  the  very  word  "  excuse," 
that  seems  strange  in  this  case.     Men  generally 
excuse  themselves  from  something  hard  or  painful, 
from  a  disagreeable  duty,  or  a  troublesome  task; 
but  in  the   parable  the  men   excused  themselves 
from  a  feast.      And  those  who  excuse  themselves 
from  the  gospel,  excuse  themselves  from  the  great- 
est of  all  blessings.     Yes,  the  greatest  of  all  bless-  | 
iugs;  in  fact,  all  blessings  are  contained  in  what 
God  offers  to  us  in  Christ — a  free  pardon,  a  full  ' 
salvation,   a  quiet  conscience,  the  peace  of  God,  ^ 
eternal  rest  and  glory.    And  this  is  what  men  excuse 
themselves  from  receiving.     It  is  offered  as  a  gift, 
and  they  will  not  have  it. 

You  will  never  be  happy  without  it.  The  things 
Avliich  form  your  excuse  do  not,  cannot  make  you 
happy.  A  little  pleasure  for  a  little  while  is  all 
they  can  give,  and  much  of  vexation  and  disap- 
pointment is  mixed  with  it.  Nothing  will  make 
you  truly  happy,  nothing  will  make  you  even  safe, 
but  that  which  God  offers  you  so  freely  in  Christ. 
What  is  it  that  keeps  you  from  accepting  it  ?    What 

0* 


202       THE  PARABLES  OF  0U11  LORD. 

is  it  that  you  make  your  excuse  ?  Whatever  it  is, 
put  it  away.  Excuse  yourself  uo  longer.  Your 
excuse  is  a  vain  one,  and  you  know  it.  The  word 
of  God  tells  you  so,  and  conscience  tells  you  so  too. 
"What  will  become  of  your  excuses  in  the  great  day? 
Will  you  dare  even  to  mention  them  ?  And  if  they 
will  be  worthless  then,  must  they  not  be  worthless 
now?  They  are  worthless.  Be  deceived  by  them 
no  more.  God  calls  you :  obey  the  calf.  God  in- 
vites you :  accept  the  invitation.  You  are  not  yet 
shut  out,  though  you  have  neglected  the  invitation 
too  long.  Go  in  while  you  may,  and  you.  will  still 
be  welcome  throuo-h  Jesus  Christ. 


THE  WEDDING  G-UEST.  203 


XXVII. 

The    Man  without   a  Wedding    Garment. 

"Ami  when  the  king  came  in  to  see  the  guests,  be  saw  there  a 
man  which  had  not  o.u  a  wedding  garment :  and  he  saith  unto 
him,  Friend,  how  earnest  thou  iu  hither  not  having  a  wedding 
garment?  And  he  was  speechless.  Then  said  the  king  to  the 
servants,  Bind  him  hand  and  foot,  and  take  him  away,  and  cast 
him  into  outer  darkness :  there  shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of 
teeth.    For  many  are  called,  but  few  are  chosen. "    Matt.  22:11-14. 

'HE  parable  of  wliicli  this  i^assage  forms 
^  part  is  almost  the  same  as  -that  con- 
tained in  the  fourteenth  chapter  of  St. 
Luke.  Whether  the  two  accounts  relate 
to  the  same  thing,  or  whether  our  Lord 
spoke  the  parable  on  two  different  occa- 
sions, we  do  not  know.  At  all  events,  St.  Luke 
does  not  record  the  incident  of  the  man  without 
the  wedding  garment. 

The  guests  here  are  those  who  were  gathered 
in  from  the  highways,  when  those  first  invited  re- 
fused to  come.  The  wedding  was  now  at  length 
furnished  with  guests,  and  the  king  came  in  to  see 
them. 

It  was  the  custom  on  such  occasions  for  the 
great  man  who  gave  the  feast  to  provide  each  guest 
with  a  suitable  dress,  usually  a  long  white  robe, 
which  was  put  on  upon  entering  the  house.  With- 
out such  a  dress  no  one  might  appear. 


204   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOKD. 

But  in  tlie  parable,  wlien  tlie  king  came  in  to 
see  the  guests,  he  found  one  who  had  not  on  a 
wedding  garment.  He  at  once  addressed  him,  in- 
quiring how  he  came  to  be  there  without  one.  The 
man  was  speechless.  He  had  no  excuse  to  offer. 
He  might  have  had  a  wedding  garment  for  the 
asking,  for  the}^  were  freely  bestowed.  It  must 
have  been  pride,  or  disrespect,  or  mere  careless 
indifference,  that  led  him  to  sit  doAvn  at  the  feast 
without  one.  He  could  say  nothing.  Perhaps, 
before  the  king  came  in,  he  had  found  plenty  to 
say.  His  dress  was  good  enough,  or  he  had  not 
had  time  to  change  it,  or  he  had  forgotten  to  do  so. 
But  now,  when  the  king  himself  questioned  him, 
he  had  not  a  word  to  say.  So  he  was  cast  out. 
He  must  sit  no  longer  among  the  king's  guests. 
He  was  ordered  to  be  bound  hand  and  foot,  and 
cast  into  outer  darkness,  as  having  broken  the 
king's  regulations,  despised  his  authorit^^,  and  treat- 
ed him  with  disrespect  and  insult. 

What  does  this  mean?  What  spiritual  lesson 
does  the  parable,  in  this  part  of  it,  teach  ? 

The  king  means  God  himself;  the  feast  is  the 
gospel  with  its  jDrivileges  and  blessings;  the  men 
first  invited  were  the  Jews,  those  called  in  after- 
wards were  the  Gentiles;  and  by  sitting  down  at 
the  feast  we  are  to  understand  having  gospel  light, 
belonging  outwardly  to  the  church  of  Christ,  and 
taking  part  in  religious  ordinances.  The  king  com- 
ing in  to  see  the  guests  must  refer  to  the  day  of 
judgment,  when  the  secrets  of  all  hearts  will  be 
disclosed,  and  the  great  separation  will  be  made. 


THE  WEDDING  GUEST.  205 

And  the  Avedcling  garment  means  the  robe  of  Christ's 
righteousness,  implying  a  state  of  reconcihation 
and  acceptance;  that  state,  in  short,  in  which  the 
true  behever  is,  as  distinguished  from  the  nominal 
Christian. 

The  man  without  a  wedding  garment  represents 
therefore  one  who  bears  the  name  of  Christian,  but 
is  no  Christian  in  heart.  He  takes  his  place  among 
those  who  love  God,  and  passes  perhaps  for  a  re- 
ligious man.  He  attends  the  house  of  God,  keeps 
up,  it  may  be,  the  form  of  worship  in  his  family, 
and  even  goes  to  the  Lord's  table.  But  he  has  no 
heart-religion.  With  all  this  outward  seeming,  he 
has  not  sought  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  or  the  gift 
of  a  new  heart.  He  sits  among  the  guests,  but  the 
wedding  garment  is  wanting. 

The  eye  of  God  is  upon  him  all  along.  God 
knows  the  true  from  the  false.  In  his  sight  there 
is  an  infinite  difference  between  the  true  believer 
and  the  nominal  Christian,  though  both  may  make 
the  same  x^rofession ;  and  in  the  great  day  of  judg- 
ment that  difference  will  be  made  known,  and  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked  will  be  parted  for  ever. 
Till  then,  perhaps,  men  will  not  have  found  out  the 
true  character  of  the  mere  professor ;  for  he  is  not 
a  gross  sinner,  and  deceives  himself  probably  as 
well  as  others.  But  in  that  great  day,  when  the 
King — the  King  of  kings — will  come  in  to  see  the 
guests,  and  strict  and  searching  examination  will  be 
made  of  a-11  who  bear  the  Christian  name,  then  at 
last  he  will  be  discovered  to  the  eyes  of  all.  He 
has  no  wedding  garment !     He  must  not  staj'.     He 


206   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

must  be  cast  out.  He  has  seemed  indeed  to  belong 
to  the  church  on  earth,  but  he  cannot  be  admitted 
into  the  church  in  heaven.  He  must  go  to  his  own 
place. 

There  will  be  many  such,  though  but  one  is 
mentioned  in  the  parable;  many  in  number  and 
various  in  character.  But  they  are  all  alike  in 
this,  that  they  have  no  w'edding  garment;  and  luno 
they  are  all  alike  speechless.  They  do  not  even 
seek  to  make  excuse.  They  know  it  would  be  vain 
with  Him  with  whom  they  have  to  do. 

They  were  not  alwaj's  speechless.  They  could 
make  excuses  once. 

One  used  to  trust  in  his  upright  character. 
When  disturbed  by  conscience,  he  would  take  ref- 
uge in  his  honesty  and  integrity,  in  his  doing  no 
one  any  harm,  in  none  having  a  word  to  say  against 
him.  He  does  not  hold  this  language  now,  he  is 
speechless. 

Another  would  look  around  and  see  numbers 
living  just  like  himself,  and  would  comfort  himself 
with  the  thought  that  he  "vvas  no  worse  than  others. 
He  does  not  say  that  now. 

A  third  had  his  religion  all  in  the  head  and  on 
the  lips.  He  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Bible, 
kept  company  with  religious  peoj)le,  knew  gospel 
doctrine,  and  could  talk  fluently  about  it.  But  his 
heart  was  unchanged.  And  now,  all  his  fluent  talk 
is  gone,  and  he  too  is  speechless. 

Another  felt  the  need  of  religion,  and  was  always 
meaning  to  seek  God  in  truth.  Yes,  he  would  in- 
deed be  in  earnest ;  let  him  but  begin  another  year, 


THE  WEDDING  GUEST.  207 

and  lie  would  be  quite  different.  So  lie  said,  year 
after  year.  He  does  not  say  so  now.  He  too  is 
speechless. 

All  the  old  excuses  are  gone ;  these,  and  a  thou- 
sand more.  They  have  nothing  to  say.  They  are 
speechless.  What  could  they  say?  They  might 
have  had  the  wedding  garment  freely.  All  that 
their  souls  needed — pardon,  grace,  life,  salvation — 
they  might  have  had  "  without  money  and  Avithout 
price."  Christ  might  have  been  theirs.  He  offered 
himself  to  them  as  their  Saviour,  and  that  again 
and  again.  But  they  did  not  accept  the  offer. 
They  let  slip  the  day  of  salvation.  It  is  this  that 
makes  them  speechless. 

This  is  a  matter  that  concerns  us  all.  We  are 
the  guests.  We  are  sitting  down  at  the  gospel 
feast  on  earth,  for  we  are  living  in  the  enjoyment 
of  gospel  blessings,  and  we  bear  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian. Oh,  let  us  see  that  we  have  the  wedding 
garment !  The  King  has  not  yet  come  in  to  see 
the  guests,  the  great  day  of  reckoning  has  not  yet 
arrived.  Yet  he  does  seb  us  all  continually.  •  What 
robe  does  he  see  on  us?  The  white  robe,  or  the 
filthy  garments?  Have  you  any  doubt?  Oh,  set 
that  doubt  at  rest.  Go  to  the  gracious  Saviour; 
go  while  yet  you  may;  go  just  as  you  are;  and  ask 
him  to  wash  you  clean,  and  to  clothe  you  in  white. 
Pray  for  a  new  heart,  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Ask  for  all  that  is  meant  by  the  wedding 
garment.  Ask  in  faith.  The  wedding  garment  of 
old  was  free ;  the  wedding  garment  of  the  soul  is 
free  too.     "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you." 


208   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 


xxviir. 

The    Tower-Builder. 

' '  For  wliicli  of  you,  intending  to  build  a  tower,  sitteth  not 
down  first,  and  counteth  the  cost,  whether  he  hath  sufiicient  to* 
finish  it  ?     Lest  haply,  after  he  hath  laid  the  foundation,  and  is  not 
able  to  finish  it,  all  that  behold  it  begin  to  mock  him,  saying,  This 
man  began  to  build,  and  was  not  able  to  finish."    Luke  1-4  :  28-30. 

t-^^UE  Lord  invited  all  to  become  his 
followers,  and  was  Avilling  to  receive  all 
wlio  came  to  him.  But  he  would  have 
none  undertake  his  service  without  a  full 
knowledge  of  what  they  were  doing.  He 
would  not  that  any  should  put  his  hand 
to  the  plough,  and  afterwards  look  back. 

This  parable  was  spoken  at  a  time  when  "  there 
went  great  multitudes  with  him."  There  might  be 
among  them  some  who,  attracted  by  his  mighty 
deeds  and  gracious  words,  were  ready  hastily  to 
join  themselves  to  him  as  his  disciples,  without 
sufficient  thought.  He  warned  them  against  this. 
Let  them  fully  understand  Avhat  it  was  to  become 
his  followers.  Let  them  be  prepared  beforehand 
for  what  they  must  meet  with  in  his  service.  They 
must  be  ready  to  give  up  all  for  him.  Even  the 
closest  and  most  sacred  of  natural  ties  must  be 
held  second  to  his  claim  upon  them  as  his  disci- 
ples. Not  even  father  or  mother,  wife  or  children, 
brethren  or  sisters  must  be   suffered  to  come  in 


THE  TOWER-BUILDER.  209 

competition  with  bim.  They  must  be  prepared, 
if  required,  to  sacrifice  hfe  itself  in  his  service. 
They  must  not  shrink  from  hardship  and  self- 
denial.  The}'  must  bear  their  cross,  and  follow 
him. 

This  lesson  our  Lord  enforced  by  the  simple 
parable  of  the  man  about  to  build  a  tower.  Would 
not  such  a  man  first  count  the  cost?  Would  he 
not  calculate  his  means  before  laying  the  first  stone? 
Would  he  not,  as  the  very  first  step,  ascertain 
whether  he  had  enough  to  finish  as  well  as  to  be- 
gin ?  If  he  should  neglect  this,  and  _^should  find, 
when  he  had  laid  the  foundation,  that  he  had  not 
means  to  finish  the  building,  he  would  be  a  laugh- 
ing-stock to  all.  The  unfinished  tower  would  be 
perfectly  useless.  The  time  and  money  bestowed 
upon  it  would  have  been  quite  thrown  away.  And 
the  building  itself,  in  its  unfinished  and  useless 
state,  would  raise  a  laugh  against  him  from  all 
beholders. 

So  is  it  likely  to  be  with  those  who  undertake 
the  service  of  Christ  inconsiderately.  They  do  not 
think  enough  of  the  deep  importance  of  what  they 
are  doing.  They  do  not  seriously  consider-what  it 
means,  what  it  requires,  and  what  consequences  it 
will  bring.  In  a  moment  of  excited  feeling  they 
profess  themselves  disciples  of  Christ,  supposing 
that  their  feelings  will  always  be  as  they  are  now, 
and  not  realizing  the  hinderances,  the  difiiculties, 
and  the  discouragements  of  the  Christian  course. 
So  when  these  things  come,  as  come  they  must, 
they  are  disappointed.     They  find  the  service  of 


210   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

Christ  different  from  tlieir  expectations.  And  in 
many  cases  tliat  service  is  given  up  in  disgust,  and 
the  world  is  sought  again,  and  perhaps  "  the  last 
state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first."  Beli- 
gion  is  now  distasteful  to  him,  and  he  is  not  un- 
likely to  give  himself  wholly  to  the  world,  or  even 
to  go  great  lengths  in  sin. 

Alas  for  the  early  promise!  Alas  for  the  youth- 
ful warmth  and  zeal!  Alas  for  the  eager  hearing 
of  the  gospel,  the  earnest  attention,  the  deep  inter- 
est, the  seeming  impression !  Where  are  they  now  ? 
Gone,  gone,  j^erhaps  never  to  return.  The  unfin- 
ished beginning  is  useless  to  the  man  himself,  use- 
less to  all.  No  religion  can  save  that  stops  short 
of  a  coming  to  Christ  and  a  cleaving  to  Christ. 
And  no  one  can  be  really  useful  to  others,  who 
does  but  begin  well,  and  then  goes  back  or  turns 
aside. 

This  brings  discredit  not  only  on  the  person 
concerned,  but  also  on  religion  itself,  though  most 
unjustly.  The  world  gladly  welcomes  such  a  one 
into  its  ranks  again;  yet  secretly  it  thinks  the 
worse  of  him  for  turning  back  from  God.  "  See  !" 
it  cries,  "  this  comes  of  extreme  opinions.  This  is 
what  extravagance  and  enthusiasm  end  in.  Such 
strictness  could  not  last." 

Thus  our  Lord  warns  uar against  inconsiderately 
taking  up  his  service.  But  would  he  deter  us  from 
serving  him?  Oh,  no.  He  says  to  all:  "Come 
unto  me."  But  he  says  further :  "  Come,  take  up 
the  cross,  and  follow  me."  He  invites  us  to  join 
ourselves  to  him ;  but  he  would  have  us  do  it  with 


THE  TOWER-BUILDEE.  211 

deep  seriousness,  with  a  full  sense  of  what  we  are 
doing,  and  with  a  real  surrender  of  heart.  He 
woiild  not  discourage  any.  "  My  yoke  is  easy,"  he 
says,  "  and  my  burden  is  light,"  "  Peace  I  leave 
with  you,  my  peace  I  giA-e  unto  you."  His  service 
is  the  only  happy  service,  and  to  be  Ids  is  the  only 
way  to  be  safe.  "\Ve  shall  indeed  be  called  to  give 
up  sin  and  the  world  for  his  sake,  and  in  fol- 
lowing him  we  shall  have  to  "  endure  hardness." 
Yet  we  shall  be  no  losers;  our  Master  will  more 
than  make  up  to  us  for  all  that  we  shall  give 
up  for  him.  He  will  give  us  now  pardon  and 
peace,  and  in  the  end  he  will  give  us  a  home  with 
him  for  ever. 

It  is  not  too  late  for  those  who  have  turned 
uvvay  from  Christ,  after  once  beginning  to  serve 
him,  to  turn  to  him  again.  Even  the  backslider 
he  graciously  invites.  But  let  them  come  to  him . 
now,  not  hastily  and  inconsiderately  as  they  once 
did,  but  humbly,  thoughtfully,  prayerfully.  Un- 
like the  builder  of  the  tower,  they  have  no  resour- 
ces whatever  of  their  own — nothing  even  to  begin 
with ;  they  must  owe  all  to  grace.  Let  them  form 
no  rash  and  hasty  purposes,  and  make  no  loud 
professions.  Let  them  seek  the  Holy  Spirit.  Let 
them  ask  for  grace  according  to  their  need;  grace 
to  choose  Christ,  grace  to  cleave  to  him,  grace  to 
follow  him ;  daily  grace  for  daily  need.  Then  they 
will  not  be  surprised  when  they  meet  with  diffi- 
culties, and  will  be  enabled  to  face  them  in  a 
strength  not  their  own.  Then,  with  a  truer  knowl- 
edge of  what   the   Christian  course  is,  they  will 


212   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

recognize  in  trial  and  temptation,  in  liinderances 
and  difficulties,  the  very  marks  that  tliey  are  fol- 
lowing Jesus.  And  perhaps  others,  who  used  to 
mock,  will  learn  to  respect  the  consistency  of  their 
Christian  conduct,  and  thus  will  their  light  shine 
before  men  and  bring  glory  to  God. 


THE  LOST   SHEEP.  213 


XXIX. 

The  Lost  Sheep,  and  the  Lost  Piece  of 

SlLYEI^ 

"And  he  spake  this  parable  unto  them,  saving,  What  man  of 
you,  having  a  hundi-ed  sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not 
leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  -wildsmess,  and  go  after  that 
■which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it?  And  when  he  hath  found  it,  he 
layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing.  And  when  he  cometh  home, 
he  calleth  together  his  friends  and  neighbors,  sajdng  unto  them, 
Eejoice  with  me  ;  for  I  have  found  my  sheej)  which  was  lost.  I 
say  unto  yoii,  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in  heaven  over  one  sinner 
that  repenteth,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine  just  persons,  which 
need  no  repentance.  Either  what  woman  having  ten  pieces  of  sil- 
ver, if  she  lose  one  piece,  doth  not  light  a  candle,  and  sweep  the 
house,  and  seek  diligently  till  she  find  it?  And  when  she  hath 
found  it,  she  calleth  her  friends  and  her  neighbors  together,  say- 
ing. Rejoice  with  me  ;  for  I  have  foiind  the  piece  which  I  had  lost. 
Likewise,  I  say  unto  j-ou,  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels 
of  God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth."    Lvke  15  :  3-10. 

^HIS  parable  was  spoken  by  our  Lord  in 
reply  to  the  Pharisees  and  scribes.  All 
the  publicans  and  sinners  had  drawn  near 
to  hear  him,  and  the  Pharisees  and  scribes 
murmured  against  him  because  he  let  them 
do  so.  "  This  man,"  said  they,  "receiveth 
sinners,  and  eateth  with  them."  The  parable  was 
his  answer.  It  is  a  double  one,  setting  forth  the 
same  truth  under  two  different  figures.  The  first 
is  that  of  a  man  losing  one  out  of  his  hundred 
sheep;  the  second  represents  a  woman  losing  one 
of  her  ten  pieces  of  silver.     The  man  in  the  one 


214       THE  PAEABLES  OF   OUR  L-ORD. 

case,  and  the  woman  in  tlie  other,  mean  our  Lord 
himself.  The  lost  sheep  and  the  lost  piece  of  money 
mean  a  sinner. 

The  general  lesson  to  be  drawn  from  the  two 
figures  is  the  same ;  yet  the  difference  in  the  things 
lost  is  not  without  meaning. 

A  lost  or  wandering  sheep  is  used  in  other  pla- 
ces to  represent  a  sinner:  "All  we  like  sheep  have 
gone  astray ;"  "  For  ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray." 
The  sheep  wanders  from  the  fold  and  the  shepherd, 
the  sinner  wanders  from  God  and  his  ways.  The 
sheep  is  in  great  danger,  and  will  be  lost  if  not 
brought  back,  yet  it  probably  wanders  heedlessly 
farther  and  farther.  The  sinner  too  is  in  danger — 
awful  danger — and  will  be  lost  for  ever  if  he  do  not 
come  back  to  God.  He  does  not  feel  his  danger. 
The  path  he  has  chosen  for  himself  pleases  him 
more  than  the  way  of  God.  He  does  not  see — at 
least  he  does  not  trouble  himself  to  think — whither 
it  leads.  Enough  for  him  that  it  is,  as  he  thinks,  a 
pleasant  path.  So  he  too  wanders  heedlessly  on, 
and  gets  farther  and  farther  from  God.  He  has  no 
wish  to  return ;  na}^  he  cannot  return  of  himself. 
He  must  be  sought  if  ever  he  is  to  be  saved. 

The  sheep  was  lost  by  its  own  wilful  wandering;, 
the  piece  of  silver  by  accident,  as  we  should  say. ' 
It  dropped  from  the  woman's  hand  perhaps,  and 
fell  into  some  crack  or  corner,  where  it  was  over- 
looked at  the  time.  Now  it  is  possible  that  our 
Lord  meant  to  show  ns  here  two  distinct  cases: 
the  one  that  of  a  wilful  sinner,  the  other  that  of  one 
who  has  fallen — a  sinner,  it  is  true,  but  one  who 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  215 

has  been  betraj'ed  into  sin  ratlicr  than  rushed  head- 
long into  it.  The  sheep  went  astray,  the  money 
■was  simply  lost. 

But  there  is  another  point  to  be  noticed  with 
regard  to  the  piece  of  silver.  It  was  a  thing  of 
value  for  what  it  would  buy.  While  in  the  wom- 
an's possession,  it  might  procure  for  her  food  or 
clothing,  or  any  thing  she  stood  in  need  of;  but 
once  lost,  it  was  of  no  use  to  her.  Somewhere  it 
must  be,  but  it  could  do  her  no  good  till  she  found 
it  again.  So  the  sinner  might  be  of  use  in  the  ser- 
vice of  God ;  but  while  he  is  lost,  he  is  of  no  use 
whatever.  As  the  piece  of  money  was  made  of  a 
precious  metal,  so  God  has  given  to  him  talents, 
valuable  qualities,  powers  for  good,  means  of  use- 
fulness ;  but  at  present  these  are  of  no  avail.  For 
any  good  that  he  does,  he  might  as  well  not  be.  He 
is  like  the  lost  piece,  of  no  use  till  he  is  found. 
Na}',  far  from  doiug  good,'  he  is  doing  harm.  Ev- 
ery sinner  does  harm. 

The  man  in  the  parable  went  in  search  of  the 
lost  sheep ;  the  woman  lighted  a  candle,  and  swept 
the  house,  and  sought  diligently  for  her  piece  of 
money.  This  represents  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
seeking  lost  sinners.  He  came  on  earth  to  do  so. 
He  said  himself:  "The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  In  all  his  coin*-- 
about  from  place  to  place,  preaching  and  teachilig, 
he  was  seeking  the  lost.  He  was  doing  so  when  he 
let  publicans  and  sinners  draw  near  to  him  to  hear 
him.  The  Pharisees  were  angry  that  he  did  so, 
but  it  was  the  very  purpose  for  which  he  came. 


216   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUK  LORD. 

There  were  among  them  some  at  least  who  were 
like  the  lost  sheep  and  the  lost  piece  of  silver.  He 
was  graciously  searching  for  them  when  he  let  them 
come  near  and  hear  his  words. 

Our  blessed  Lord,  who  thus  sought  out  the  lost 
when  he  was  on  earth,  has  long  been  gone ;  yet  he 
still  carries  on  the  same  work.  By  his  word,  in 
which  the  message  of  salvation  is  written ;  by  his 
ministers,  who  preach  the  word  ;  by  his  Spirit,  con- 
vincing men  of  sin  and  working  in  the  heart,  he 
still  goes  after  tliat  which  is  lost.  Nay  more,  we 
are  taught  that  it  is  for  this  that  he  delays  his  com- 
ing :  "  The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  prom- 
ise, as  some  men  count  slackness;  but  is  long-suf- 
fering to  usward,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish, 
but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance."  Because 
there  are  yet  wanderers  to  be  broiight  home,  there- 
fore the  Lord  has  not  yet  come. 

In  the  parable,  the  man  did  not  leave  oS  his 
search  for  the  sheep  till  he  found  it;  the  woman 
also  went  on  sweeping  the  house  till  the  piece  of 
money  appeared.  No  pains  or  trouble  was  spared. 
Both  persevered  till  that  which  was  lost  was  found. 
In  like  manner  has  the  Lord  dealt  with  those  who 
are  now  brought  home  to  God,  but  who  were  once 
wanderers  in  the  paths  of  sin.  It  was  not  once 
only  that  he  sent  them  a  message  of  love  and  mer- 
cy. Long  were  they  sought,  many  and  various  were 
the  means  used.  Many  a  time  did  he  call,  and 
they  refused.  It  was  only  perhaps  after  years  of 
gracious  waiting  and  rej^eated  invitations,  that  the 
wanderers  were  brought  home,  and  the  lost  found. 

• 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  217 

But,  after  till,  it  was  but  oue  slieep  that  the  mau 
iu  the  parable  had  lost,  and  but  one  jaiece  of  money 
that  was  missing:  yet  for  but  one  all  this  trouble 
was  taken.  This  shows  us  the  preciousness  of  one 
soul  in  the  Saviour's  sight.  People  sometimes  talk 
slightingly  of  missionary  work  and  of  other  efforts 
to  do  good  to  souls,  because,  say  they,  the  success 
is  so  small.  If  they  thought  aright  of  the  value 
of  a  soul,  they  would  not  speak  thus.  Let  it  be 
granted  that  the  number  of  the  heathen  converted 
b}'  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  but  small  com- 
pared with  the  vast  number  that  remain  heathen 
still,  and  that  in  all  gospel  work,  Avhether  at  home 
or  abroad,  we  should  gladly  see  hundreds  and 
thousands  turned  to  God  instead  of  tens  or  ones. 
Yet  even  one  soul  is  beyond  all  price.  It  is  so  in 
God's  sight,  it  ought  to  be  so  in  ours.  Is  not  each 
soul  to  live  for  ever?  Must  it  not  be  in  endless 
misery,  if  not  in  endless  happiness?  Then  how- 
can  it  be  a  light  thing,  that  even  one  soul  should 
be  saved? 

In  the  parable,  there  was  joy  when  the  sheep 
was  brought  back,  joy  when  the  money  Avas  found. 
Likewise,  our  Lord  tells  us  there  is  joy  in  heaven, 
"  jo3^  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one 
sinner  that  repenteth."  Nothing  can  show  more 
strongly  the  value  of  even  one  soul  in  the  sight  of 
God.  Picture  the  case  of  a  sinner  brought  to  re- 
pentance; not  a  remarkable  case,  but  a  common 
case,  such  as  may  happen  any  day.  A  poor  work- 
ing man,  living,  it  may  be,  in  some  low  court  in  a 
great  town,  or  in  an  humble  cottage  in  a  country 

P«iablc8.  10 


218   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

place,  unknown  beyond  the  little  circle  of  his  OTvn 
workmates  and  neighbors,  has  long  lived  in  neglect 
of  his  soul ;  not  a  gross  sinner  perhaps,  nor  worse 
than  most  of  those  around  him,  but  without  God : 
this  man  by  some  means  is  brought  to  care  for  his 
soul,  to  repent  of  his  sins,  and  to  seek  Christ — in 
other  words,  he  becomes  a  Christian  man.  Very 
few  people  care  for  the  change,  or  even  know  of  it. 
The  minister  may  thank  God  for  it  on  bended  knee ; 
the  man's  wife  and  children  may  be  the  happier 
for  it,  as  they  certainly  will ;  alid  his  workmates  and 
neighbors  may  take  notice  of  the  altei;ation,  and 
some  of  them  may  perhaps  wonder  what  has  come 
over  the  man,  and  think  the  change  not  a  change 
for  the  better.  But  meanwhile  there  is  joy  in  heav- 
en ;  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God ;  joy 
on  account  of  that  poor  man,  because  he  has  been 
found  at  length,  because  his  heart  is  changed,  be- 
cause he  has  repented  and  turned  to  God.  It 
seems  but  a  small  thing  to  man,  but  it  is  not  count- 
ed a  small  thing  in  heaven.  Even  in  that  happ}- 
place  where  all  is  jo}',  the  angels  rejoice  anew  be- 
cause this  one  sinner  has  been  brought  to  repent- 
ance. 

But  even  this  is  not  all.  The  man  left  the  ninety 
and  nine'  sheep  in  the  wilderness  to  go  after  the 
one  that  was  lost ;  the  woman  did  not  give  a  thought 
to  the  nine  pieces  that  were  safe,  while  she  was 
anxiously  searching  for  the  one  that  was  missing; 
and  all  the  joy  that  followed  was  for  the  one  sheep 
and  the  one  piece  of  silver*.  "Likewise,"  saj'S  our 
Lord,  "joy  shall  be  in  heaven  over  one  sii\ner  that 


THE  LOST  SHEEP.  219 

repenteth,  more  tjian  over  ninety  and  nine  just  per- 
sons Avhicli  need  no  repentance."  How  are  we  to 
understand  this  ? 

Some  suppose  that  our  Lord  spoke  of  such  as 
though  they  needed  no  repentance,  like  those  self- 
righteous  scribes  and  Pharisees.  If  so,  the  Sav- 
iour's words  would  yet  be  true,  for  there  would  be 
no  joy  at  all  in  heaven  over  them.  But  it  seems 
more  likely  that  he  meant  such  as  really  need  no 
repentance!  There  is  more  joy  for  one  repenting 
sinner  than  for  "  ninety  and  nine  just  persons  who 
need  no  repentance."  This  seems  strange  at  first 
sight.  But  what  is  repentance  ?  And  why  do  any 
not  need  it?  Bepentance  here  means  not  merely 
sorrow  for  sin,  which  we  all  need  continually,  but 
a  change  of  heart — that  very  change  over  which 
there  is  joy  in  heaven  in  the  case  of  the  one  sinner. 
And  the  reason  why  the  righteous  do  not  need  it  is 
that  they  have  experienced  it  already.  They  are 
changed,  and  therefore  do  not  need  to  be  changed. 
Every  one  needs  this  change  at  one  time  or  an- 
other, but  those  who  are  here  called  "just,"  or 
righteous,  have  passed  through  it.  It  was  b}'  this 
verj'  change  that  they  became  righteous. 

Still  there  seems  some  difficulty.  Why  more 
joy  for  one  than  for  so  many?  It  is  only  for  the 
time.  There  has  been  joy  in  heaven  over  each  one 
of  the  ninety  and  nine,  as  each  in  his  turn  repented 
and  came  to  God;  for  the  moment,  each  was  re- 
joiced over  specially.  So  it  is  with  this  one  now. 
He  is  brought  to  repentance,  he  is  added  to  the 
number  of  the  righteous;  another  heart  has  been 


220   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

led  to  Christ,  another  soul  has  become  a  partaker 
of  his  salvation.  Therefore  there  is  joy  in  heaven ; 
more  joy,  for  the  moment,  than  over  those  who 
were  already  safe. 

Has  there  been  joy  for  tjou  ?  Have  you  been 
brought  to  this  repentance,  this  change  of  heart? 
Have  you  ever  learnt  that  by  nature  you  are  lost  ? 
See  how  precious  one  soul  is  in  the  sight  of  God ; 
your  soul  is  thus  precious.  See  how  the  Saviour 
seeks  the  lost.  Has  he  not  sought  yoi*?  Has  he 
not  sought  3'ou  again  and  again?  Think  of  the 
joy  in  heaven !  Such  joy  may  be  felt  for  you  ;  nay, 
certainly  will  be  felt,  if  you  repent.  Your  soul  is 
not  uncared  for  above.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
seeks  it,  and  angels  would  rejoice  at  its  salvation. 
Wandering  from  God  can  only  end  in  ruin;  come 
back  at  the  Saviour's  call !  It  is  grievous  that  tal- 
ents which  God  gave  to  be  used  for  his  glory, 
should  be  all  useless  and  wasted,  like  the  lost  piece 
of  silver.  AAvake  to  a  sense  of  what  you  owe  to 
God,  and  of  the  account  you  must  one  day  give  to 
him.  It  is  not  yet  too  late.  You  may  yet  turn  to 
Christ;  you  may  even  now  do  God  service. 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON.  221 


XXX 


The    Prodigal   Soi 


"And  lie  said,  A  certain  man  had  two  sons  :  and  the  yonuger 
of  them  said  to  his  father,  Father,  give  me  the  portion  of  goods 
that  falleth  to  me.  And  he  divided  unto  them  his  living.  And 
not  many  days  after  the  younger  son  gathered  all  together,  and 
took  his  journej'  into  a  far  country,  and  there  wasted  his  sub- 
stance -with  riotoi;s  living.  And  when  he  had  spent  all,  there 
arose  a  mightj'  famine  in  that  land ;  and  he  began  to  be  in  want. 
And  he  went  and  joined  himself  to  a  citizen  of  that  country  ;  and 
he  sent  him  into  his  fields  to  feed  swine.  And  he  would  fain  have 
filled  his  belly  with  the  husks  that  the  swine  did  eat :  and  no  man 
gave  unto  him.  And  when  he  came  to  himself,  he  said,  How 
many  hired  servants  of  my  father's  have  bread  enough  and  to 
spare,  and  I  perish  with  hunger!  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my 
father',  and  will  say  unto  him.  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heav- 
en, and  before  thee,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called  thy  sou  : 
make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants.  And  he  aro.se,  and  came 
to  his  father.  But  when  he  was  yet  a  great  way  off",  his  father 
saw  him,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and 
kissed  him.  And  the  son  said  imto  him,  Father,  I  have  sinned 
against  heaven,  and  in  thj'  sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be 
called  thy  son.  But  the  father  said  to  his  servants,  Bring  forth 
the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him  ;  and  put  a  ring  on  his  hand, 
and  shoes  on  his  feet :  and  bring  hither  the  fatted  calf,  and  kill 
it ;  and  let  us  eat,  and  be  merry  :  for  this  my  son  was  dead,  and 
is  alive  again ;  he  was  lost,  and  is  found.  And  thej'  began  to  be 
merry.  Now  his  elder  son  was  in  the  field ;  and  as  he  came  and 
drew  nigh  to  the  house,  he  heard  music  and  dancing.  And  he 
called  one  of  the  servants,  and  asked  what  these  things  meant. 
And  he  said  unto  him.  Thy  brother  is  come  ;  and  thy  fiither  hath 
killed  the  fatted  calf,  becai:se  he  hath  received  him  safe  and 
sound.  And  he  was  angry,  and  would  not  go  in  :  therefore  came 
his  father  oiit,  and  entreated  him.  And  he  answering  said  to  his 
father,  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve  thee,  neither  transgressed 
I  at  any  time  ^hy  commaudmeut :  and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a 


222   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOKD. 

kid,  that  I  might  make  merrj'  with  my  friends :  but  as  soon  as 
this  thy  sou  was  come,  which  hath  devoured  thy  living  with  har- 
lots, thou  hast  killed  for  him  the  fatted  calf.  And  he  said  unto 
him,  Sou,  thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine.  It 
was  meet  that  we  should  make  merry,  and  be  glad :  for  this  thy 
brother  was  dead,  and  is  alive  again  ;  and  was  lost,  and  is  found." 
Ltjee  15:11-32. 

HE  chief  lesson  to  be  learned  from  this 
beautiful  parable  is  the  perfect  readi- 
ness of  God  to  receive  the  returning  sin- 
ner. It  is  one  of  the  three  parables  which 
our  Lord  spoke,  when  the  Pharisees  and 
scribes  murmured  at  his  allowing  publicans 
and  sinners  to  draw  near  to  him. 

The  prodigal  son  represents  sinners  in  general. 
As  he  went  away  from  his  father,  and  "  wasted  his 
substance  with  riotous  living,"  so  does  the  sinner 
depart  from  God,  and  misuse  the  talents  intrusted 
to  him.  The  likeness  applies  to  sinners  of  every 
kind  and  degree,  not  to  those  alone  who  run  into 
great  excesses,  and  lead  a  grossly  sinful  life.  Every 
impenitent  sinner,  though  free  from  gross  sin,  and 
even  respectable  in  outw^ard  conduct,  is  a  wanderer 
from  God,  and  misuses  his  talents,  because  he  does 
not  use  them  as  God  would  have  them  used. 

Yet  the  parable  applies  with  peculiar  force  to 
one  who  sins  in  the  very  same  way  as  this  younger 
son.  Alas,  how  many  such  sons  there  are !  Impa- 
tient of  control,  weary  of  home  with  its  wholesome 
restraints,  and  longing  to  be  free,  many  a  j-outli 
gladly  quits  his  father's  roof,  and  then  runs  all 
lengths  in  sinful  pleasures.  Little  does  he  think 
of  the  fond  and  anxious  hearts  at  home,  little  does 


THE  PEODIGAL  SON.  223 

he  concern  himself  about  a  parent's  wishes,  a  pa- 
rent's i^rayers,  a  parent's  parting  charge.  He  is 
now  far  awa}^,  he  is  his  own  master,  he  can  do  what 
he  hkes,  he  is  determined  to  enjoy  himself.  Surely 
it  is  a  double  sin  thus  at  once  to  sin  against  God 
and  against  his  earthly  parent.  The  prodigal 
seemed  to  feel  this:  "Father,  I  have  sinned  against 
heaven,  and  in  thy  sight." 

The    misery   to    which    this    young    man    was 
brought  when  he  had  spent  all  his  money,  and  the 
famine  came,  represents  the  evil  consequences  of 
sin  in  this  life.     Not  that  sin  always  produces  out- 
ward ruin :  many  a  man  is  honest  and  industrious, 
and  thrives  in  the  world,  though  his  heart  is  far 
from  God.     More  than  this :  many  a  man  thrives, 
Tor  a  time  at  least,  by  dishonest  gains;  and  it  is  not 
always  that,  in  outward  things  and  at  present,  sin 
brings  its  own  punishment.   Yet  in  very  many  cases 
it  does  so.     Look  at  that  pale  and  haggard  man, 
with  unsteady  hand  and  tottering  limbs,   an  old 
man  before  his  time.     What  has  brought  him  to 
this?      Drink.      He    has   been    a    great   drinker; 
drunkenness  has  been  his  besetting  sin,  and  now  it 
has  brought  him  to  this  Avretched  state.     See  those 
closed  shutters.    That  was  a  flourishing  shop  once ; 
the  business  was  large,  the  tradesman  industrious, 
few  had  so  fair  a  prospect  as  he.     But  he  M-as  in 
haste  to  be  rich.     Not  content  with  honest  gains, 
he   allowed   himself  to   be    tempted   to  dishonest 
courses.     And  this  is  the  end :  he  is  a  ruined  man. 
Covetousness,  his  besetting  sin,  has  brought  him 
to  this.     Even  in  other  cases,  though  all  outward 


224   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

things  may  seem  to  prosper,  yet  there  may  be  un- 
happiiiess  within.  An  imgocUy  man  is  never  really 
hapi^y;  and  often  a  smiling  face  hides  an  aching 
heart. 

How  false  are  all  friendships  formed  by  a  com- 
panionship in  sin ;  how  hollow  is  the  friendshijD  of 
the  world.  When  the  day  of  want  came,  where 
were  the  friends  of  this  young  man's  i^rosperity? 
Where  w^ere  they  who  had  feasted  with  him,  drunk 
with  him,  laughed  Avith  him  ?  They  could  not  all  be 
in  the  same  destitution  as  himself,  "  yet  no  man  gave 
imto  him."  Often  in  the  day  of  trouble  does  a  man 
find  that  among  all  his  old  companions  in  ungodli- 
ness he  had  not  a  single  real  friend,  and  that  ih  is 
from  those  whom  he  used  perhaps  to  sneer  at  as 
"saints"  that  he  must  seek  a  helping  hand  in  his* 
need.     Among  such  he  does  not  seek  in  vain. 

In  the  parable,  want  brought  the  young  man  to 
himself:  he  rejDented,  and  returned  to  his  father. 
It  is  not  always  so :  trouble  hardens  some.  It  is 
only  when  the  grace  of  God  works  with  it  and  by 
it  that  trouble  leads  to  God ;  but  often  God  blesses 
it  thus.  Very  seldom,  if  ever,  does  prosperity  lead 
the  heart  to  God;  very  often  does  trouble  do  so. 
AVhether  the  trouble  be  the  consequence  of  sin  or 
not,  there  is  no  instrument  which  God  more  often 
uses  for  bringing  the  heart  to  himself. 

"  He  came  to  himself."  He  had  been,  as  it  were, 
beside  himself  till  then,  blind  to  his  true  happiness 
as  well  as  to  his  duty,  like  one  out  of  his  mind. 
And  so  is  the  sinner,  as  long  as  he  is  at  a  distance 
from  God.    Satan  has  blinded  him ;  he  is  not  in  his 


THE  PEODIGAL  SON.  225 

right  mincl ;  bis  judgment  and  Lis  will  are  perverted. 
When  the  great  change  is  Avronght  in  his  heart  by 
the  Spirit,  it  is  as  though  he  "  came  to  himself." 
His  eyes  are  opened.  He  sees  what  he  has  done, 
how  he  has  been  living,  whom  he  has  been  serving, 
and  what  the  end  would  have  been.  His  sin  and 
danger  lie  open  before  him.  He  sees  now  that  sin 
and  the  world  have  never  given  him  real  happiness. 
Peace  has  not  been  his.  Even  if  ]ie  has  prospered, 
he  has  had  no  true  satisfaction  of  mind;  all  has 
been  "  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit."  Deeply  does 
he  now  regret  his  wasted  years  and  misspent  talents, 
humbly  and  mournfully  does  he  think  of  the  past. 

The  past  he  cannot  recall ;  3'et  it  is  not  too  lato 
to  change.  The  next  feeling  of  the  repentant  sin- 
ner is  beautifully  represented  in  this  parable :  "  I 
will  arise,  and  go  to  my  father."  Yes,  the  wanderer 
will  return  to  God.  Guilty  as  he  has  been,  unde- 
serving of  favor,  Avith  no  excuse  to  make  for  his  jiast 
sins,  he  will  yet  turn  to  God  as  his  only  hope ;  for 
he  has  heard  of  a  Saviour,  a  Mediator  and  Advo- 
cate. He  will  seek  the  Father  by  him ;  he  will 
approach  the  throne  of  grace  as  a  contrite  sinner, 
OAvning  all,  humbling  himself  before  God  as  utterly 
unworthy,  suing  for  mercy  for  Jesus'  sake.  The 
prodigal  thought  himself  unworthy  to  be  reckoned 
again  a  son :  he  did  but  ask  to  be  received  and 
treated  as  a  servant.  So  the  penitent  sinner  is  Avil- 
ling  to  take  the  lowest  place.  Mercy  is  all  he  asks. 
If  he  may  but  be  forgiven,  how  happy,  how  thank- 
ful will  he  be ! 

Where  there  is  a  true  change  of  heart,  this  feel- 
10* 


226   THE  PARABLES  OP  OUR  LORD. 

ing  does  not  pass  away.  No  sooner  had  the  prod- 
igal made  the  determmation,  than  "  he  arose,  and 
came  to  his  father."  So  the  true  penitent  is  led  by 
the  Spirit  not  only  to  determine,  but  to  do.  He 
comes  to  God  in  Christ.  He  will  make  no  delay. 
Awakened  at  length,  he  sees  there  is  no  time  for 
delay.  He  is  deeply  concerned  for  his  soul;  he 
must  seek  his  Saviour  at  once. 

Have  his  thoughts  and  feelings,  his  sorrow  for 
sin,  his  distress  of  mind,  his  self-reproaches,  his 
fears,  his  hopes,  been  unnoticed?  No:  the  God 
who  aave  them  has  also  seen  them.  As  the  father 
in  the  parable  saw  his  son  while  yet  a  great  way 
off,  and  had  compassion  upon  him,  so  does  God 
notice,  and  notice  with  pitying  love,  the  first  move- 
ment of  the  sinner's  heart  towards  himself.  He  sees 
him  coming,  as  it  were,  and  goes  forth  to  meet  him 
by  his  grace.  Some  outward  means  are  used  to 
cheer  him,  or  inward  comfort  is  given  by  the  Spirit ; 
and  as  the  father  in  the  parable  "  ran  and  fell  on 
his  neck,  and  kissed  him,"  so  does  God  cause  the 
returning  penitent  to  know  his  love,  and  speaks  to 
him  pardon  and  peace.  No  need  now  to  set  his  sin 
before  him.  The  Avork  of  conviction  is  already 
done.     Now  he  shall  be  cheered. 

In  the  parable  the  father  interrupts  his  son  in 
his  confession.  While  yet  he  has  scarcely  acknowl- 
edged his  sin,  and  before  he  can  make  his  humble 
petition  to  be  received  as  a  servant,  the  father 
breaks  in  with  the  joyful  command  to  the  servants : 
"Bring  forth  the  best  robe,  and  put  it  on  him." 
Thus  ready  is  God  at  once  to  forgive.    The  penitent 


THE  PRODIGAL  SON.  227 

sinner  needs  not  to  look  upon  pardon  as  a  distant 
blessing,  wliich,  after  long  years  of  contrition  or  of 
penance,  he  may  Lope  to  obtain :  God  "will  give  it 
to  him  notv.  No  sooner  does  lie  seek  than  he  shall 
find  ;  no  soonoi'  does  he  come  to  God  in  Christ, 
than  the  blood  of  Jesus  is  applied  to  wash  awa}'  his 
sins,  and  he  is  pardoned  and  accepted  in  him.  It  is 
not  a  future,  but  a  present  salvation  that  is  offered 
in  the  gospel.  And  it  is  not  only  present,  hut  full. 
Salvation  is  more  than  pardon :  it  is  admission  into 
all  the  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God.  The  prodigal 
was  not  made  a  servant  in  his  father's  household, 
as  he  had  humbly  ventured  to  hope :  he  was  re- 
ceived as  a  son  again.  The  servants  were  called 
forth  to  wait  on  him,  his  rags  were  taken  from  him, 
and  once  more  he  was  clothed  as  became  the  son 
of  his  father.  The  best  robe  Avas  put  on  him,  and 
a  ring  on  his  hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet.  He  was 
welcomed  home  with  }oj  and  honor.  The  fatted 
calf  must  be  killed,  and  all  must  rejoice.  Was  there 
not  a  cause?  "This  my  son,"  said  the  happy  fa- 
ther, "was  dead,  and  is  alive  again;  he  was  lost, 
and  is  found."  Thus  graciously  and  joyfully  is  the 
returning  sinner  welcomed.  There  is  joy  in  heaven 
for  him,  for  he  was  lost,  and  is  found ;  he  was  dead, 
and  is  alive.  Now  he  is  admitted  into  the  family 
of  God ;  his  sins  are  all  forgiven ;  he  is  clad  in  his 
Saviour's  righteousness;  peace  and  love,  honor  and 
joy  are  given  to  him.  He  is  made  an  heir  of  heaven, 
and  already  has  he  a  foretaste  of  his  inheritance. 
Thus  does  God  forgive  and  bless  the  penitent  sin- 
ner who  comes  to  him  by  Christ. 


228   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

But  whom  are  we  to  understand  by  the  elder 
son?  Evidently  the  Pharisees  and  scribes,  in  reply 
to  whose  murmuring  the  parable  .was  spoken.  They 
were  like  the  elder  son,  as  living  in  outw^ard  obedi- 
ence to  the  law  of  God,  whereas  the, publicans  and 
sinners  were  like  the  prodigal.  And  they  murmured 
at  our  Lord's  receiving  sinners,  just  as  the  elder 
son  was  displeased  at  the  father's  kind  reception  of 
■  the  prodigal. 

The  elder  son,  in  the  true  self-righteous  spirit  of 
the  Pharisee,  claimed  for  himself  that  he  had  never 
transgressed  his  father's  commandment ;  and  in  the 
parable  the  father  acknowledged  the  claim :  "  Son, 
thou  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine." 
Yet  we  know  well  that  the  self-righteous  Pharisees 
were  not  approved  by  God,  but  were,  on  the  con- 
trary, most  displeasing  to  him.  In  like  manner  let 
us  feel  sure  that  no  one  who  is  a  true  Christian,  and 
accepted  by  God,  can  feel  any  thing  but  joy  when 
a  sinner  is  brought  to  Christ.  There  can  be  in  such 
a  one  no  envy  or  jealousy.  The  Christian  himself 
is  but  a  sinner  who  has  found  mercy ;  and  glad  in- 
deed is  he  Avhen  others  find  it  too. 


THE  UNJUST  STEWAED.  229 


XXXI. 

The   Unjust   jSteward. 

"And  be  said  also  imto  his  disciiiles,  There  was  a  certain  rich 
man,  which  had  a  steward  ;  and  the  same  was  accused  nnto  him 
that  he  had  wasted  his  goods.  And  he  called  him,  and  said  nnto  him. 
How  is  it  that  I  hear  this  of  thee  ?  give  an  accoimt  of  thy  steward- 
shiiJ ;  for  thou  maycst  be  no  longer  steward.  Then  the  steward 
said  within  himself.  What  shall  I  do  ?  forjny  lord  taketh  away  from 
me  the  stewardship  :  I  cannot  dig  ;  to  beg  I  am  ashamed.  I  am 
resolved  what  to  do,  that,  when  I  am  put  out  of  the  stewardship, 
they  may  receive  me  into  their  houses.  So"-  he  called  every  one  of 
his  lord's  debtors  unto  him,  and  said  unto  the  first,  How  much 
owest  thou  unto  my  lord  ?  And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures  of 
oil.  And  he  said  unto  him,  Take  thy  bill,  and  sit  down  quicklj^, 
and  write  fifty.  Then  said  he  to  another.  And  how  much  owest 
thou?  And  he  said,  A  hundred  measures  of  wheat.  And  he  said 
unto  him.  Take  thy  bill,  and  write  fourscore.  And  the  lord  com- 
mended the  iinjust  steward,  because  he  had  done  wisely  :  for  the 
childi-en  of  this  world  are  in  their  generation  wiser  than  the  chil- 
dren of  light.  And  I  say  unto  you.  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of 
the  mammon  of  unrighteousness  ;  that,  when  ye  fail,  they  may 
receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations."    Luee  1G  :  1-9. 


STEWARD  is  one  intrusted  with 
his  master's  property,  and  set  over  his 
concerns.  He  is  a  servant ;  but  being 
placed  in  autlft>rity  over  the  other  ser- 
vants, and  having  the  management  of 
great  affairs,  he  is  in  some  respects  more  hke  a 
master,  especially  if  he  be  the  steward  of  a  rich 
man,  such  as  the  man  in  the  i^arable.  Only  there 
is  always  this  that  makes  him  a  servant  still:  he  is 
accountable  to  his  master. 


230   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUK  LORD. 

We  are  all  stewards,  and  God  is  our  Master. 
He  has  intrusted  us  with  his  goods — some  with 
more,  some  with  less.  Whatever  we  have  is  not 
ours,  but  his;  and  we  are  accountable  to  him  for 
the  use  of  it.  It  is  to  be  used,  liot  for  our  own 
pleasure  merel}",  but  in  the  service  of  God  and  in 
doing  good. 

It  is  more  easy  to  understand  this  with  regard 
to  a  rich  man  than  a  poor  man,  especially  for  those 
who  are  poor  themselves.  We  sometimes  hear  it 
said  about  one  who  is  very  rich  indeed,  but  has  not 
learned  to  make  a  right  use  of  his  riches,  "He  does 
not  do  much  good  with  his  money;"  as  if  he  were 
bound  to  do  good  with  his  money  because  he  has  so 
much.  But  why  the  rich  man  only  ?  Why  not  the 
poor  also?  Both  are  God's  stewards.  To  the  rich 
man  God  has  committed  much,  to  the  poor  man 
little;  but  the  poor  man  is  just  as  much  bound  to 
sjDend  his  little  aright  as  the  rich  man  is  to  spend 
his  wealth.  Besides,  money  is  not  all.  A  steward 
has  goods  of  all  sorts  in  his  charge,  and  so  have 
God's  stewards.  Money  is  one  sort,  but  time  and 
health  and  strength  are  goods  also.  Every  one  has 
something.     Every  one  is  a  steward  of  God. 

The  steward  in  the  parable  was  a  dishonest  one. 
He  had  wasted  his  master's  goods.  Probably  he 
had  done  so  for  a  long  time ;  but  now  at  length  it 
came  to  his  master's  ears,  and  he  was  accused  of  it. 
It  is  not  said  that  he  had  stolen  his  master's  prop- 
erty, or  spent  his  money  in  any  thing  wicked,  but 
simply  that  he  had  wasted  it.  A  steward's  business 
is  to  look  after  his  master's  concerns  carefully,  so 


THE  UNJUST  STEWARD.  231 

that  no  loss  may  befall  him,  and  that  his  goods  may 
be  turned  to  the  best  account.  This  man  had  not 
done  so.  He  had  been  careless  and  neglectful, 
indifferent  iq  his  master's  interests,  not  strict  and 
conscientious  in  his  management.  Thus  he  had 
wasted  his  master's  gpods,  and  now  he  was  called 
to  account  for  it,  and  was  told  that  he  must  lose 
his  place. 

Some  people  make  it  their  boast,  or  at  least 
their  excuse,  that  they  do  no  one  any  harm.  Now 
in  the  first  place  this  is  not  the  truth,  if  they  are 
not  doing  good  ;  for  Ave  a,rc  all  doing  either  good  or 
harm  to  those  around  us  by  our  example,  if  not  in 
any  other  way.  But  even  supposing  it  to  be  true, 
yet  if  this  were  all  such  people  could  say,  their  own 
words  would  condemn  them;  for  they  would  thus 
own  themselves  to  be  unjust  and  unfaithful  stew- 
ards. God  has  given  them  means  of  usefulness ;  if 
they  are  not  doing  good  with  them,  they  are  wast- 
ing their  Master's  goods.  Whoever  is  leading  an 
idle,  self-indulgent  life,  with  no  serious  thought  of 
life's  duties,  no  conscientious  regard  to  the  will  of 
God,  no  desire  and  endeavor  to  serve  him  and  to  do 
good — whoever  is  living  so,  though  ho  may  be  free 
from  gross  sin,  and  may  be  outwardly  moral  and 
respectable,  is  yet  an  unfaithful  steward ;  for  those 
means  and  opportunities  of  which  he  is  making  no 
use,  or  which  he  is  using  only  for  himself,  are  the 
goods  which  God  has  intrusted  to  him  as  a  stew- 
ard, and  he  is  wasting  them.  I  need  not  say  how 
muclrmore  strongly  this  a^jplies  to  those  who  are 
spending  money,  time,  and  strength  in  actual  sin. 


232       THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  ^i^ORD. 

This  was  enough.  The  man  must  lose  his  post : 
"  Give  an  account  of  thy  stewardship,  for  thou  mayest 
be  no  longer  steward."  God  does  not  always  deal 
so  with  men.  Though  he  stands  in  need  of  no  one 
to  accuse  us  to  him,  though  his  eye  is  always  on  us, 
and  lie  knows  exactly  how  we  are  using  his  goods, 
yet  he  does  not  in  general  put  us  out  of  our  stew- 
ardship at  once,  even  when  he  sees  us  to  be  unfaith- 
ful stewards.  God's  dealings  are  various.  Some- 
times indeed  a  sudden  call  is  sent,  and  the  unfaith- 
ful steward  has  to  face  his  Master  unexpectedly; 
but  generally  speaking,  the  unfaithful  steward  is 
continued  in  office  as  long  as  the  faithful ;  the  man 
who  does  no  good  with  what  he  has  remains  in  pos- 
session of  it  as  long  as  he  who  is  a  blessing  to  all 
around  him ;  the  careless  and  selfish  live  as  long  ns 
the  conscientious  and  godly.  But  with  all  of  us  the 
j)resent  stewardship  is  but  for  a  time.  Putting  aside 
for  the  moment  the  case  of  the  faithful,  the  unjust 
and  unfaithful  steward  is  put  out  of  his  stewardship 
sooner  or  later.  He  was  always  one  who  wasted 
his  Master's  goods,  and  his  Master  knew  it  all 
along,  but  he  bore  with  him  awhile ;  now,  however, 
he  may  be  no  longer  steward.  If  by  no  other  means, 
such  as  loss  of  health  or  loss  of  fortune,  yet  by  death 
he  is  at  last  put  out,  and  a  sad  account  he  has  to 
give. 

The  steward  in  the  parable,  when  put  out  of  his 
employment,  had  to  consider  what  to  do  for  a  live- 
lihood. "We  read  of  no  defence  made  ;  the  case  was 
too  clear.  "What  shall  I  do?"  thought  he,  "for 
my  lord  taketh   away  from  me  the  stewardship : 


THE  UNJUST  STEWARD.  233 

I  cannot  dig;  to  beg  I  am  ashamed."  How  false 
is  the  rule  of  the  ungodly  as  to  what  is  disgraceful! 
This  man  was  ashamed  to  beg,  j'et  he  had  not  been 
ashamed  to  wrong  his  master.  Outward  debase- 
ment he  could  not  face,  yet  he  had  gone  on  long  in 
secret  unfaithfulness.  It  was  the  being  found  out, 
and  losing  his  place,  and  having  to  seek  his  bread, 
that  troubled  him,  not  the  thought  of  his  wrong- 
doing. 

So  far  was  he  from  being  sorry,  that  he  deter- 
mined to  wrong  his  master  yet  more  by  dishonestly 
providing  a  home  for  himself  at  his  expense..  His 
mind  was  soon  made  up.  It  was  necessary  that  it 
should  be  ;  for  his  time  was  short.  Yet  a  little  time 
did  remain ;  just  enough  for  his  j^urpose.  It  was 
not  yet  known  that  he  was  to  be  steward  no  longer ; 
so  before  it  should  get  abroad,  he  would  make  use 
of  his  authority  to  provide  himself  friends  against 
the  time  of  need.  No  sooner  thought  of  than  done. 
He  called  to  him  those  who  were  in  debt  to  his 
master,  and  when  he  had  asked  of  each  how  much 
he  owed,  told  each  debtor  to  put  down  in  his  account 
a  smaller  sum ;  the  man  who  owed  a  hundred  meas- 
ures of  oil  was  to  make  it  appear  that  he  owed  only 
fifty;  and  he  who  owed  a  hundred  measures  of 
wheat  was  to  put  down  fourscore  instead.  The 
debtors  seem  to  have  been  almost  as  dishonest  as 
fhe  steward ;  for  they  must  have  suspected  that,  in 
some  way  or  other,  he  was  robbing  his  master ;  but 
they  had  always  been  used  to  do  business  with  the 
steward,  and  not  with  his  lord,  so  they  gladly  did 
what  he  told  them  now.     Thus  he  secured  their 


234   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

friendship.  He  had  done  them  a  good  turn,  and 
might  look  to  be  received  into  their  houses  when 
he  should  be  put  out.  See  how  sin  leads  ta  sin. 
Probably  this  was  the  worst  piece  of  dishonesty  he 
had  ever  been  guilty  of.  Before  he  had  wasted  his 
master's  goods;  now  he  deliberately  robbed  him. 
A  man  who  wilfully  does  one  wrong  thing  will  not 
scruple  to  do  another  more  wrong  still  in  order  to 
hide  it  or  to  shield  himself  from  its  consequences^. 

But  the  master's  eyes  were  opened  now.  He 
had  trusted  his  steward  in  times  past,  but  now  that 
he  had  found  out  his  character,  doubtless  he  nar- 
rowly watched  what  he  did.  So,  though  the  plan 
seems  to  have  succeeded,  j^et  it  soon  came  to  his 
master's  knowledge.  Ah,  little  do  God's  unjust 
stewards  think  that  all  their  schemes  and  plans  are 
known  to  him  every  moment.  "  All  things  are  naked 
and  opened  unto  the  eyes  of  him  with  whom  we 
have  to  do." 

But  we  read  in  the  parable  that  "  the  lord  com- 
mended the  unjust  steward,"  that  is,  praised  him. 
This  however  does  not  mean  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
but  the  lord  or  master  of  the  steward.  When  he 
learned  the  trick  his  steward  had  played  him,  he 
praised  him.  But  for  what?  Only  for  his  fore- 
thought and  shrewdness.  Justly  displeased  as  he 
was  with  his  long  unfaithfulness  and  with  this  last 
piece  of  dishonesty,  yet  even  in  the  act  of  turning 
him  off  he  could  not  but  admire  his  prudence  and 
quickness.  He  was  a  rogue,  it  is  true,  but  a  clever 
rogue.  "He  had  done  wisely."  Having  a  very 
shoi't  time  left,  he  had  made  the  most  of  it.     In- 


THE  UNJUST  STEWARD.  235 

stead  of  giviug  himself  up  to  vain  lamentations  for 
the  loss  of  a  good  place,  he  had  instantly  bethought 
himself  of  what  he  could  best  do  to  make  up  for  the 
loss.  Being  about  to  lose  his  home,  he  had  looked 
forward  to  that  time,  and  made  provision  for  it. 
Thus  he  had  done  wisely;  that  is,  Avisely  for  his 
own  interest.  Even  his  master  did  not  say  that  he 
had  done  iccll.  And  there  is  no  true  wisdom  ex- 
cept in  doing  well.  This  was  but  the  lowest  sort  of 
wisdom — worldly  and  selfish  wisdom. 

The  parable  ends  here;  what  follows  is  our 
Lord's  application  of  it.  "  For  the  children  of  this 
world,"  said  he,  "  are  in  their  generation  wiser  than 
the  children  of  light.  The  children  of  this  world 
mean  worldly  people ;  the  children  of  light  mean 
godly  people.  The  children  of  light  walk  by  the 
light  of  God's  word,  and  live  with  a  view  to  eter- 
nity ;  the  children  of  this  world,  on  the  other  hand, 
have  no  thought  but  for  the  present  time  and  for 
worldly  things.  They  are  quite  wrong  in  this — 
quite  wrong,  and  by  no  means  wise,  but  on  the  con- 
trary miserably  foolish;  but  "in  their  generation," 
that  is,  with  regard  to  this  life — which  is  all  they 
care  for — and  to  the  objects  which  they  have  in 
view,  they  are  wiser  than  the  children  of  light ;  for 
they  show  more  diligence,  prudence,  and  fore- 
thought in  seeking  worldly  things  than  religious 
people  show  in  seeking  spiritual  things.  The  chil- 
dren of  light  have  made  a  right  choice  in  choosing 
God  for  their  portion ;  but,  alas,  they  are  often  cold 
and  slothful,  showing  but  little  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness, though  eternity  is  their  aim.     The  children 


236   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

of  this  world  have  made  a  wrong  choice,  but  they 
often  show  great  dihgence  in  pursuing  their  objects, 
and  thus  put  to  shame  the  children  of  light.  This 
is  the  lesson  which  ou*  Lord  here  teaches  us. 

But  this  is  not  all.  Our  Lord  also  bids  us  make 
to  ourselves  "friends  of  {lie  mammon  of  unright- 
eousness." We  can  only  understand  this  by  con- 
sidering what  the  unjust  steward  had  done.  But, 
first,  "the  mammon  of  unrighteousness"  means 
worldly  riches,  or  worldly  goods  of  any  kind.  The 
word  "  mammon "  means  riches ;  and  they  are 
called  riches  "  of  unrighteousness  "  perhaps  because 
this  steward  had  used  them  unjustly,  or  because 
the  love  of  them  does  so  often  lead  men  into  sin, 
or  possibly  only  by  way  of  contrast  to  the  true 
riches.  We  are  to  make  friends  for  ourselves  by 
means  of  our  riches,  or  of  whatever  we  have ;  that 
is  to  say,  we  are  to  make  such  a  use  of  it  as  that 
we  shall  not  be  left  friendless  in  the  time  of  need. 
This  is  what  the  steward  did,  only  he  did  it  wrong- 
ly, while  we  are  to  do  it  rightly ;  for  there  is  a  right 
way  of  doing  it.  The  faithful  steward  of  God  is 
one  who  does  it,  and  does  it  in  a  right  way ;  for  he 
tries  to  spend  monej^,  time,  talents,  all  that  God 
has  intrusted  to  him,  well  and  faithfully ;  and  his 
Master  will  take  care  that  he  shall  not  be  friend- 
less or  forsaken.  Often  God  raises  up  unexpected 
friends  for  his  servants  in  their  time  of  need,  and 
at  last,  when  they  are  called  to  leave  the  present 
scene,  he  himself  will  be  their  friend,  and  provide 
for  all  their  wants. 

"  That  Avhen  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you  into 


THE  UNJUST  STEWAED.  237 

everlasting  habitations."  "  That  they  maj^  receive 
you,"  is  just  the  same  as  "  that  ye  may  be  received," 
God  liimself  will  receive  his  faithful  stewards  into 
those  isverlastiug  habitations.  When  they  fail,  that 
is,  when  they  are  put  out  of  their  earthly  steward- 
ship, they  will  be  gainers,  not  losers ;  for  their  Mas- 
ter will  take  them  to  live  with  him  above.  Our 
Lord  sets  this  before  us  strikingly  in  the  twenty- 
fifth  chapter  of  St.  Matthew.  Those  on  the  right 
hand  had  been  faithful  stewards,  feeding  the  hun- 
gry, clothing  the  naked,  comforting  the  afflicted, 
and  thus  using  in  God's  service  what  he  had  com- 
mitted to  them.  What  does  the  King  say  to  them? 
"  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  king- 
dom prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  They  had  made  to  themselves  friends  of 
the  mammon  of  unrighteousness,  and  now  they 
were  received  into  everlasting  habitations.  We  are 
to  do  likewise. 

Let  us  consider  seriously  our  responsibility  to 
God  as  his  stewards.  "It  is  required  in  stewards 
tha^.  a  man  be  found  faithful."  Let  us  be  faithful. 
Our  goods,  our  time,  our  strength,  let  us  look  on 
them  as  not  ours,  but  our  Master's.  Let  us  use 
them  as  he  would  have  us  use  them ;  for  he  has  not 
left  us  ignorant  of  his  will.  Yet  let  us  be  sure  that 
our  ground  of  hope  for  ourselves  is  right.  Let  none 
think  to  win  salvation  by  his  faithful  stewardship. 
"None  but  Christ:"  let  that  great  truth  lie  at  the 
root  of  all  we  do.  Let  us  look  to  be  saved  by  him 
alone,  and  let  our  diligent  employment  of  all  our 
talents  for  God  be  the  fruits  in  us  of  a  livincr  faith. 


238   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

We  have  many  opportunities  of  doing  good :  let  us 
use  tliem  well.  AVe  have  a  great  account  to  give : 
let  us  ever  bear  it  in  mind.  We  have  a  gracious 
Master,  a  blessed  Saviour,  a  Father  in  heaven :  let 
us  delight  to  serve  him. 

Let  us  serve  him  faithfully,  diligently,  zealously. 
Let  us  look  to  it  that  the  worldly  do  not  shame  us. 
What !,  shall  the}^  who  have  not  one  object  beyond 
this  life  be  more  diligent  than  we  whose  minds  are 
fixed  on  eternity  ?  If  God  through  grace  has  called 
us  to  the  knowledge  and  love  of  himself,  let  us  be 
heartily  in  earnest,  let  us  live  as  those  who  are 
seeking  a  country.  What  the  unjust  steward  did, 
he  did  without  delay,  for  there  was  no  time  to  lose. 
Let  us  also  make  the  most  of  the  passing  hour,  for 
it  is  all  we  can  call  our  own :  "  The  night  cometh, 
when  no  man  can  work." 


THE  lUCTT  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.        2^9 

XXXII. 

The  Righ    Man  and  Lazarus. 

"There  was  a  certain  rich  man,  which  wa.s  clothed  in  pnri^le 
and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously  every  day  :  and  there  was 
a  certain  beggar  named  Lazarus,  which  was  laid  at  his  gate,  full  of 
sores,  and  desiring  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  which  fell  from  the 
rich  man's  table  :  moreover  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the 
angels  into  Abraham's  bosom  :  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 
buried  ;  and  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and 
sceth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom.  And  he  cried 
and  said.  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on  me,  and  send  Lazarus, 
that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue; 
for  I  am  tormented  in  this  flame.  But  Abraham  said.  Son,  remem- 
ber that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  like- 
wise Lazarus  evil  things  :  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art 
tormented.  And  beside  all  this,  between  us  and  you  there  is  a 
great  gulf  fixed  :  so  that  thej'  which  would  pass  from  hence  to  you 
cannot;  neither  can  they  pass  to  \;s,  that  would  come  from  thence. 
Then  he  said,  I  praj'  thee  therefore,  father,  that  thou  wouldest 
send  him  to  my  father's  house  :  for  I  have  five  brethren  ;  that  he 
may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come  into  this  place  of  tor- 
ment. Abraham  saith  unto  him,  They  have  Moses  and  the  jn-oph- 
ets  ;  let  them  hear  them.  And  he  said.  Nay,  father  Abraham  :  but 
if  one  went  unto  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent.  And  he 
said  unto  him,  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither 
will  thej'  be  per.suaded,  though  one  rose  from  the  dead."  Luke 
10:19-31. 


/^HETHER  tliis  passage  is  the-  de- 
scription of  a  real  case,  or  strictly 
a  parable,  is  uncertain.     WhicheTer  it 
is,  assuredly  it  is  one  of  the  most  sol- 
emn lessons  ever  given   by  our  Lord. 


240   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

The  most  careless  can  liardlj  liear  or  read  it  with- 
out some  impression ;  for  all  must  feel  that,  whether 
parable  or  not,  there  is  deep  and  awful  truth  in  it. 

Here  were  two  men,  as  different  as  possible  al- 
most in  their  circumstances.  One  was  rich,  living 
in  ease,  plenty,  and  luxury,  with  great  possessions, 
and  enjoying  them  to  the  full :  the  other  was  as 
poor  as  the  first  was  rich — not  merely  poor,  but  a 
beggar ;  yet  not  through  his  own  fault,  but  because 
he  was  heavily  afflicted — a  poor  suffering  cripple. 
To  make  the  difference  still  more  striking,  the  two 
were  brought  close  together.  Far  apart  as  they 
were  in  station  and  circumstances,  yet  they  were 
near  as  to  place.  The  beggar  was  laid  at  the  rich 
man's  gate.  While  the  one  was  feasting  within,  the 
other  was  lying  in  want  and  suffering  without.  Yet 
we  do  not  find  him  envying  the  rich  man :  his  ut- 
most desire  was  to  be  fed  with  the  crumbs  which 
fell  from  his  table.  Whether  the  poor  man  got  his 
wish,  we  are  not  told :  there  seems  reason  to  fear 
he  did  not. 

But  the  want  and  suffering  of  this  life  do  not 
last  for  ever.  At  length  death  came  to  the  poor 
man's  relief.  This  is  sometimes  said  of  people, 
whether  there  is  reason  for  a  good  hope  about  them 
or  not:  it  is  very  often  said  untruly.  But  in  the 
case  of  Lazarus,  death  really  brought  relief;  for 
when  he  died  he  went  to  be  happy — he  "  was  car- 
ried by  the  angels  into  Abraham's  bosom."  That 
was  a  common  way  with  the  Jews  of  describing  the 
l^lace  to  which  the  souls  of  the  righteous  went  after 
death.     And  so  the  poor  sufferer  was  at  rest :  poor 


THE   RICH   MAN  AND  LAZARUS.        241 

no  longer,  free. now  from  pain  ami  misery,  safe  and 
happy  for  ever. 

Bnt  death  comes  to  all,  to  rich  as  well  as  poor, 
to  the  gay  and  prosperous  as  well  as  to  the  sufier- 
ing  and  afHicted.  "  The  rich  man  also  died."  Per- 
haps Lazarus  had  icisltcd  to  die ;  perhaps,  as  he  lay 
in  his  misery,  ho  had  often  humbly  asked  God  to 
take  him  when  he  should  see  fit.  But  the  rich  man 
did  not  wish  to  die ;  for  death  would  rob  him  of  all 
he  had  and  all  he  loved.  Yet  he  did  die.  He  could 
not  refuse  that  call,  or  hang  back  Avhen  that  mes- 
senger came.  "  The  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 
buried." 

"And  was  buried.^'  Nothing  is  said  about  Laz- 
arus' burial :  it  was  but  a  poor  one,  no  doubt.  But 
the  rich  man  was  sure  to  have  a  grand  funeral.  AVe 
know  the  look  of  such  a  funeral  in  our  own  coun- 
trj' ;  the  hearse  with  its  nodding  plumes,  the  mourn- 
ing carriages,  the  men  in  attendance,  the  long  pro- 
cession; people  come  to  see  such  a  burying,  as  to  a 
grand  sight.  A  funeral  in  that  time  and  country 
was  not  quite  like  this  ;  yet  doubtless  the  rich  man's 
burying  was  as  grand  in  its  way.  The  corpse  was 
richly  laid  out,  the  paid  mourners  were  many,  and 
made  loud  lamentations,  and  a  great  compau}^  fol- 
lowed the  remains  to  the  grave.  There  is  some- 
thing awful  in  this,  when  we  think  of  wliai?  Ave  are 
told  next.  There  is  always  something  awful  in  a 
great  funeral,  when  we  cannot  have  a  good  hope 
about  him  who  is  gone. 

He  was  buried.  But  that  was  only  his  body ; 
where  was  the  soul?  While  the  senseless  body 
iM.„i.i..».  11 


242   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

was  being  borne  to  the  tomb,  and  the  mourners 
lamented,  and  friends  wept  and  bewailed,  where 
was  the  soul,  the  part  of  him  that  could  think  and 
feel  ?  "  In  hell  he  lifted  up  his  ej^es,  being  in  tor- 
ments." How  awful  a  chaiTge!  This  was  the  "rich 
man,"  This  was  he  who  had  been  "clothed  in  pur- 
ple and  fine  linen,  and  fared  sumptuously  every 
day."  This  was  he  who  had  been  so  prosperous, 
and  in  men's  esteem  doubtless  so  happy.  Ah,  little 
do  men  know  what  makes  happiness.  Even  while 
they  were  living,  Lazarus  in  his  rags  lying  at  the 
gate  was  more  truly  happy  than  the  rich  man  feast- 
ing within,  for  his  thoughts  were  happier;  and  it  is 
the  state  of  the  mind,  not  the  outward  circumstan- 
ces, that  chiefly  makes  happiness  or  misery.  Biit 
now,  when  life  was  past  with  both,  how  happy  was 
the  poor  beggar,  how  wretched  was  the  rich  man ! 
He  was  the  beggar  now,  and  a  beggar  to  no  pur- 
pose. He  who  had  enjoyed  that  sumptuous  fare, 
must  now  beg  for  a  drop  of  cold  water,  and  beg  in 
vain.  He  avIio  had  so  long  lived  in  every  kind  of 
comfort  and  luxury,  must  now  be  in  torments,  from 
which  there  could  be  no  relief. 

It  must  have  added  to  his  misery  to  see  Lazarus 
happy — the  poor,  miserable  creature  Avhom  he  had 
so  often  observed  at  his  gate,  in  Abraham's  bosom, 
while  he  was  in  agony.  How  must  past  means  and 
opportunities  have  risen  to  his  memory !  If  Laza- 
rus could  reach  that  happy  place,  why  might  not 
he  have  got  there  too  ?  Probably  his  learning  and 
knowledge  had  been  far  greater  tRan  those  of  Laz- 
arus; yet  he  was  cast  out,  while  Lazarus  was  taken 


THE  IIICH  MAN  AND   LAZAEUS.       213 

in.  Alas!  tliough  lie  could  see  Lazarus,  it  was 
"  afar  off."  Tliey  were  separated  now  more  widely 
far  than  they  had  been  in  life.  There  was  "a  great 
gulf"  between  them,  so  that  there  was  no  passing 
from  one  to  the  other.  Whether  the  rich  man  had 
ever  given  relief  to  Lazarus  we  do  not  know ;  at 
least,  he  had  had  the  opportunity;  but  all  such 
opportunities  were  now  passed  on  both  sides.  Laz- 
arus could  give  the  wretched  man  no  help,  not  even 
a  drop  of  water  to  cool  his  tongue.  The  one  could 
not  come  near  the  other,  for  the  great  gulf  was  be- 
tween them. 

Why  was  there  so  great  a  difference  between 
them  now  ?  Was  it  only  because  the  rich  man  had 
in  his  lifetime  received  his  good  things,  that  he 
was  now  tormented  ?  And  was  it  because  Lazarus 
had  received  evil  things  that  he  was  now  comfort- 
ed? No.  People  sometimes  talk  as  if,  because 
they  have  many  troubles  in  this  life,  they  are  sure 
to  be  hap}t}^  in  the  life  to  come.  But  that  is  not 
true.  Happiness  and  misery  hereafter  depend,  not 
on  being  rich  or  poor  now,  but  on  the  state  of  the 
heart  towards  God.  The  beggar  might  have  been 
shut  out  from  hapjoiness,  the  rich  man  might  have 
been  taken  to  Abraham's  bosom;  for,  alas!  all  the 
poor  and  miserable  are  not  on  the  road  to  heaven ; 
and,  thanks  be  to  God,  many  of  the  rich  and  great 
have  found  the  true  riches,  and  will  be  happy  for 
ever  hereafter.  W^e  are  not  expressl}^  told  the  char- 
acter of  these  two  men,  but  are  left  to  gather  it 
from  the  storj'.  The  rich  man,  we  may  conclude, 
was  worldly  and  self-indulgent,  living  in  pleasure. 


244   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LOED; 

not  spending  Lis  substance  as  God's  steward,  and 
not  making  provision  for  eternit3^  The  beggar,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  doubtless  a  patient  suiferer 
under  the  hand  of  God,  bearing  his  trials  meekl}^ 
trusting  in  God,  and  looking  forward  in  humble 
hope  to  the  time  when  God  would  take  him  to  rest. 
In  other  words,  the  rich  man  was  worldly  and  care- 
less, the  poor  man  was  a  true  servant  of  God.  This 
was  why  the  one  was  carried  to  Abraham's  bosom, 
the  other  to  the  place  of  torment. 

But  the  rich  man,  unable  to  obtain  relief  for 
himself,  now  makes  another  request.  He  had  left 
five  brothers,  men  probably  of  the  same  character 
and  Avay  of  life  as  himself.  He  thinks  of  them  now, 
and  trembles  for  their  state.  ■  Now  he  knows  too 
well  the  awful  end  to  which  such  a  life  as  theirs 
would  lead  them.  He  had  reached  the  end — there 
Avas  no  hope  for  liiin.  But  they  were  still  in  life, 
they  might  yet  escape;  so  he  begs  Abraham  to 
send  Lazarus  to  warn  them,  lest  they  also  should 
come  to  that  place  of  torment.  Ah,  why  did  he 
not  care  for  them  in  this  way  before?  Why  did  he 
not,  Avhile  yet  living,  seek  safety  for  his  own  soul, 
and  try  to  turn  them  also  into  the  right  way? 
Doubtless,  in  life,  care  for  their  souls  had  been  as 
far  from  his  mind  as  care  for  his  own.  He  had 
feasted  with  them  many  a  time,  but  never  sought 
God  with  them.  Now  at  length  he  cares  for  them 
in  another  way,  but  not  till  it  is  too  late. 

Oh,  3'e  Avho  have  ungodly  brothers,  children, 
relatives,  friends,  make  use  of  the  present  time  to 
warn  them.    Be  not  so  cruel  as  to  hold  your  peace, 


THE  RICH  MAN  AND  LAZARUS.       245 

Avliile  yet  your  avoids  may  retxcli  them.  No  -woncler 
the  rich  man  did  not  Avaru  his  brethren,  for  he  liad 
no  sense  even  of  liis  own  danger.  But  if  God  bv 
his  grace  has  led  you  to  repent  and  believe,  then 
you  ought  to  have  a  deep  and  awful  sense  of  the 
danger  those  are  in  who  are  without  Christ,  and  to 
leave  no  means  untried  for  bringing  them  to  him. 
True,  the  work  must  be  God's,  but  you  may  seek 
to  be  his  instruments.  Do  not  put  this  off;  use  the 
opportunities  which  you  now  have.  Do  not  Avait 
till  the  great  gulf  lies  betAvecn  you  and  tliem,  or 
till  that  other  great  and  unpassable  space  be  placed 
between  you  which  separates  the  living  from  the 
dead. 

And  you  who  are  hving  without  God,  see  that 
you  do  not  refuse  to  hear  the  word  of  warning 
which  those  who  love  you  and  care  for  your  souls 
may  give  you.  It  costs  them  much  perhaps  to  give 
it,  far  more  than  you  think ;  and  perhaps  it  is  only 
after  much  conflict  and  prayer  that  they  can  bring 
themselves  to  speak.  Be  not  angry  with  them,  do 
not  turn  away  in  displeasure,  and  thus  Avound  their 
hearts  and  rob  yourselves  of  good.  Take  what 
they  say  as  a  message  from  God ;  for  it  comes  to 
you  by  his  providence.  The  time  will  come  when 
those  Avho  now  warn  you  Avill  be  able  to  do  so  no 
]nore ;  hear  them  Avhile  you  may.  One  Avho  Avarns 
you  in  love  is  a  friend  indeed. 

The  miserable  man's  second  request  met  with 
no  better  success  than  the  first.  His  brothers, 
Abraham  reminds  him,  had  Moses  and  the  proph- 
ets: "let  them  hear  them"     The  word  of  God  and 


246   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

tlie  appointed  means  of  grace  were  within  their 
reach,  and  were  sufficient,  if  rightly  used,  to  serve 
as  a  warning,  and  to  lead  them  into  the  right  way. 

But  he  still  pleaded.  He  too  had  had  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  but  he  had  not  attended  to  them  ; 
and  well  he  knew  that  his  brothers  were  living  in 
like  neglect.  But  let  Lazarus  go  to  them,  let  one 
appear  from  the  place  of  the  dead,  and  carry  them 
a  message  from  the  unseen  world,  and  then  surely 
they  would  repent.  The  word  of  God  and  the  usual 
means  of  grace  they  might  neglect;  but  a  voice 
from  the  dead  they  could  not  disregard. 

So  one  would  think;  yet  it  is  not  so.  Abra- 
ham's answer  is  remarkable :  "  If  they  hear  not 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be  per- 
suaded, though  one  rose  from  the  dead."  If  the 
careless  and  ungodly  despise  God's  message  when 
it  comes  to  them  in  his  appointed  way,  there  is  no 
reason  for  thinldng  that  they  would  attend  to  it 
however  it  might  come.  A  voice  from  the  dead 
would  startle,  yet  it  would  not  of  itself  convert. 
An  impression  it  would  doubtless  make,  but  not  a 
lasting  and  saving  one,  unless  God  wrought  by  his 
Spirit  in  the  heart ;  and  the  Spirit  can  work  by  the 
gentlest  and  quietest  means,  and  does  in  fact  make 
use  of  those  that  are  usual  and  common  far  more 
often  than  of  those  that  are  strange  and  startling. 

Let  us  lay  this  solemn  parable  to  heart.  There 
is  no  one  more  solemn  :  for  here  our  Lord  does,  as 
it  were,  lift  the  veil  that  hides  from  our  view  the 
world  to  come.  The  rich  man  and  Lazarus  had 
their  time  on  earth,  and  each  had  his  appointed 


THE   EICII   MAN  AND  LAZAEUS.       247 

lot,  and  means,  and  opportunities;  and  then  thej 
died,  and  were  separated  for  ever.  We  are  now 
passing  through  hfe,  and  each  of  us  has  his  own 
peculiar  lot,  and  before  us  lies  the  eternal  world 
and  the  great  separation.  Where  are  our  hearts  ? 
What  is  our  life?  Whether  we  be  rich  or  poor, 
strong  or  sickly,  is  a  question  of  comparatively 
little  moment :  the  great  question  is,  what  is  the 
state  of  our  souls  in  the  sight  of  God?  They  of 
old  time  had  "  Moses  and  the  prophets :"  we  have 
far  more,  for  we  have  Jesus  and  the  gospel.  "How 
shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation?" 
Abraham's  bosom  and  the  great  gulf  may  be  fig- 
ures, but  Avliat  the}'  represent  is  plain,  solemn  truth. 
There  is  a  happy  place  to  which  all  true  believers 
go  when  they  die,  and  there  is  an  endless  separa- 
tion between  them  and  all  others.  The  only  safety 
is  to  flee  in  faith  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and 
then,  in  watchfulness  and  prayer,  and  in  the  daily 
endeavor  to  do  the  will  of  God,  to  wait  for  his 
appearing.  "  Blessed  is  that  servant  whom  his 
Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  so  doing." 


248       THE   PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


xxxiir. 


JHB     JJ 


NJUST 


f" 


DGE. 


"And  be  sjjake  a  parable  unto  them  to  this  end,  that  men 
ought  always  to  pray,  and  not  to  faint ;  saying,  There  was  in  a 
city  a  judge,  which  feared  not  God,  neither  regarded  man :  and 
there  was  a  widow  in  that  city  ;  and  she  came  unto  him,  saying, 
Avenge  me  of  mine  adversary.  And  he  would  not  for  a  while : 
but  afterward  he  said  within  himself,  Thoiigh  I  fear  not  God,  nor 
regard  man  ;  yet  because  this  widow  troubleth  me,  I  will  avenge 
her,  lest  by  her  continual  coming  she  weary  me.  And  the  Lord 
said.  Hear  what  the  unjust  judge  saith.  And  shall  not  God 
avenge  his  own  elect,  w'hich  cry  day  and  night  unto  him,  thoiigh 
he  bear  long  with  them?  I  tell  you  that  he  will  avenge  them 
speedil3^  Nevertheless  when  the  Son  of  man  cometh,  shall  he 
tiud  faith  on  the  earth?"     Luke  18  : 1-8. 


'HIS    parable    is    different    from    most. 

Here  the  dealings  of  God  are  compared 

■\vitli  those,  not  of  a  good  man,  but  of  a 

bad  man.     This  is  remarkable ;  bnt  as  we 

shall  see  presenth',  it  does  but  add  force 

to  the  lesson  of  the  parable. 

Our  Lord's  object  was  to  teach  perseverance  in 

praifer ;  and  this  he  did  by  showing  that  God  will 

certainly  answer  prayer,  though  he  may  seem  for  a 

time  to  disregard  it.. 

The  parable  represents  a  judge  in  a  certain  city, 
or  town.  There  are  such  still  in  all  the  towns  of 
the  East;  tliev  are  much  the  same  as  our  mas-is- 
trates.  This  man  was  a  man  of  no  principle :  he 
feared  not  God,  nor  regarded  man ;  he  had  no  Avish 


THE  UNJUST  JUDGE.  249 

to  do  justice.     A  .vidow  of  the  place  had  been  in- 
jured by  some  one,  and  bronglit  her  cause  before 
huu.     ^\e  are  evidently  to  understand  that  it  was 
a  just  cause;  yet  the  judge  paid  no  attention  to 
her;   and  though  she  came  again  and  again,  he 
wou  d  stil    do  nothing  for  her.     He  cared  nothino- 
Mhetber  she  had  justice  done  her  or  not.     But  the 
widow  kept  on  coming  continually,  till  the  iud-e 
^vas  quite  tired  of  her  and  her  c;use;  and  so  It 
ast  he  determined  to  see  her  righted,  not  because 
he  cai^d  for  justice,  but  merely  that  he  might  get 
nd  of  her.    He  did  not  eyen  pretend  to  haye  a  blot- 
ter motiye:  "Though  I  fear  not  God,  nor  re^^ard 
man,  yet,  because  this  widow  troubleth  me    I'wiH 
ayenge  her,  lest  by  her  continual  coming  she  weary 
me.  -^ 

Nmy  follows  the  application:   "And  the  Lord 
said,  Hear  what  the  unjust  judge  saith.     And  shall 
not  God  ayenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day  and 
m^d  unto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with  them^   I 
tell  you  that  he  will  ayenge  them  speedily."     Shall 
the  unjust  judge  at  length  attend  to  the  widow's 
cry,  merely  to  rid  himself  of  her;  and  shall  God 
the  righteous  Judge,  refuse  to  hear  those  who  call 
upon  him  ?    Shall  a  mere  selfish  feeling  prevail  with 
his  bad  man,  and  shall  the  God  of  mercy  and  truth 
be  deaf  to  prayer?   Impossible.    If  the  unjust  judge 
lioard,  much  more  will  God  hear.     If  importunity 
and  perseverance  at  length  prevailed  even  in  this 
case    much  more  will  they  prevail  with  God,  who 
has  told  us  to  pray,  and  has  promised  to  hear.    This 
IS  tJie  lesson  of  the  parable. 


250   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

But  our  Lord  adds ;  "  Nevertheless  when  the  Son 
of  man  cometh,  shall  he  find  faith  on  the  earth?" 
Notwithstanding  all  the  promises  to  prayer,  will  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  he  comes  again,  find  men 
living  in  dependence  upon  God,  seeking  the  Sav- 
iour in  faith,  trusting  in  him,  and  looking  for  his 
coming?  AVill  such  bo  the  state  of  the  world  at 
large?  Will  it  be  the  general  state  of  those  to 
whom  the  gospel  has  come  ? 

Leaving  this  question  unanswered,  as  our  Lord . 
leaves  it,  though  it  is  plain  what  answer  he  means 
us  to  supply,  let  us   seek   to   learn  for  ourselves 
practically  the  lesson   of   perseverance  in  prayer, 
which  the  parable  is  meant  to  teach. 

I.  "Men  ought  ahcays  to  pray;"  that  is,  contin- 
ually ;  and  that  for  the  same  blessing.  Once  let  us 
be  sure  that  our  prayer  is  according  to  the  will  of 
God,  and  we  are  told  then  to  "  be  instant  in  pray- 
er." Da,y  after  day  this  widow  approached  the 
judge's  house  with  the  same  petition;  day  after  day 
should  our  wants,  and  especially  the  one  want — 
whatever  it  may  be — that  chiefly  presses  upon  us, 
be  laid  before  the  throne  of  grace. 

IL  "And  not  to  faint."  We  are  apt  to  faint. 
W^e  pray,  and  seem  to  receive  no  answer;  we  speak 
to  God,  and  yet  no  voice  replies ;  and  so  we  become 
discouraged ;  we  faint ;  we  are  ready  to  leave  off 
praying.  But  not  if  faith  be  strong.  There  must 
be  faith,  or  we  cannot  really  pray  at  all ;  and  faith 
leads  us  to,  persevere  in  the  face  of  discouragement. 
True,  we  see  nothing,  we  hear  nothing;  yet  faith 
enables  us  to  realize  God's  nearness,  God's  pres- 


THE  UNJUST  JUDGE.  251 

eiice,  God's  blessing.  If  we  walk  by  sight,  we  shall 
faint ;  if  we  walk  by  faith,  we  shall  persevere.  This 
is  what  God  would  have  us  to  do.  He  could  bless 
us  in  a  moment  with  all  that  we  want.  If  he  is 
pleased  to  keep  us  awhile  still  praying,  shall  we 
think  desp'ondingly  that  he  hears  us  not? 

III.  "And  shall  not  God  avenge  his  own  elect?" 
This  question  is  a  strong  assurance  that  God  will 
avenge  them.  And  this  particular  answer  to  prayer 
seems  drawn  directly  from  the  parable.  Even  the 
unjust  judge  at  length  did  justice  to  the  widow :  so 
will  God,  in  answer  to  their  prayers,  help  all  his 
people  who  labor  under  injustice  and  oppression, 
sooner  or  later,  in  his  own  good  time.  But  he  will 
also  hear  prayer  of  every  kind,  and  help  and  com- 
fort and  bless  in  all  need.  There  is  not  a  want 
which  he  cannot  supply,  not  one  which  he  icill  not 
supply,  if  it  be  really  a  want.  Earnest,  persevering- 
prayer  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  a  crying  day 
and  night  unto  God,  will  never  be  imheard. 

ly.  Yet  our  Lord  shows  that  the  blessing  may 
be  long  withheld :  "  though  he  bear  long  with  them." 
It  often  is  so.  See  that  pale  and  care-worn  face. 
That  mother  has  a  son,  an  ungodly  son,  and  it  is 
care  for  him  that  has  saddened  her  face  and  dim- 
med her  eye.  Yet  she  is  a  woman  of  prayer :  day 
and  night  she  lays  her  son's  case  before  God,  and 
pleads  for  him  with  a  mother's  heart.  Let  her  not 
doubt,  let  her  not  faint.  God  is  bearing  long  with 
her,  yet  he  hears  her.  Only  let  her  pray,  and  pray 
again,  and  wait,  and  believe.  Ah,  it  is  easy  to  say 
this,  but  it  is  not  easy  to  do  it.     To  hope  against 


252   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

hope,  to  endure  the  heart-sickness  of  hope  deferred, 
to  see  no  change,  no  token  for  good,  and  yet  to 
pray — this  is  not  easj".  Yet  it  is  what  God  calls  us 
to,  and  what  God  promises  to  bless.  We  are  to  cry 
day  and  night  nnto  him,  though  he  bear  long  with 
ns. 

V.  Faith  is  what  is  wanted — more  faith.  Whether 
he  find  it  in  many  or  in  few  when  he  comes,  let  our 
Lord  see  faith  in  us  now.  Let  us  lay  hold  of  the 
promises,  and  set  them  against  all  discouragements. 
There  would  be  no  room  for  faith  if  there  were  no 
waiting,  if  we  could  see  all,  and  see  it  at  once.  But 
faith  is  the  very  thing  that  God  requires,  and  that 
he  is  working  in  us  continually.  Oh  that  our  faith 
may  be  increased !  Oh  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may 
teach  us  to  believe  more  and  to  pray  more !  Oh 
that  all  God's  promises  and  all  his  dealings  may- 
lead  us  to  prajer,  to  trust,  to  peace,  to  joy !  We 
have  to  do  with  no  unjust  judge,  no  unkind  lord. 
AVhen  we  pray,  we  go  to  more  than  a  judge,  even 
the  justest  and  kindest.  We  go  to  our  Father,  our 
reconciled  Father  in  Christ  Jesus.  Shall  we  doubt 
him?  He  has  given  us  his  Son;  shall  he  not  with 
him  also  freely  give  us  all  things  ? 


THE  PHArvISEE  AND  PUBLICAN.      253 

XXXIV. 

Thk  Pharisee  and  the  Publican. 

"And  he  spake  this  parable  unto  certain  which  trusted  in 
themselves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  des^Dised  others  :  Two 
men  went  up  into  the  temple  to  pray  ;  the  one  a  Pharisee,  and 
the  other  a  publican.  The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with 
himself,  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  extor- 
tioners, unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  publican.  I  fast  twice 
in  the  week,  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess.  And  the  publican, 
standing  afar  oflf,  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes  unto 
heaven,  but  smote  upon  his  breast,  sajang,  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner.  I  tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  house  justi- 
fied rather  than  the  other  :  for  every  one  that  exalteth  himself 
shall  be  abased  ;  and  he  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 
Luke  18  : 9-14. 

HESE  two  men  went  to  the  same  place, 
at  the  same  time,  and  for  the  same  pur- 
pose; 3'et  how  dijSerent  Avere  thej  in  heart 
and  character.  There  is  much  difference 
now  also  among  those  who  meet  together 
in  the  house  of  God,  and  often  even  among 
those  who  come  together  in  a  more  private  way  for 
prayer  and  for  the  hearing  of  the  word.  God  only 
knows  the  heart. 

But  though  these  two  men  both  went  up  into 
the  tensile,  yet  the}'  did  not  worship  in  the  same 
part  of  it.  It  may  have  been  because  the  Jewish 
law  did  not  allow  the  publican  to  be  where  the 
Pharisee  was — for  there  were  different  courts,  to 
which  different  classes  of  people  might  come — or  it 


254   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

maj  have  been  through  his  deep  humihtj  that  the 
publican  "  stood  afar  off,"  while  the  Pharisee  wor- 
shipped in  the  inner  part.  There  are  no  different 
courts  in  the  Lord's  house  now.  High  and  low, 
male  and  female,  Jew  and  Gentile,  may  worship 
together.  The  gospel  has  made  all  one,  What- 
ever differences  there  may  be  in  other  places,  in 
the  house  of  God  all  stand  on  one  footing. 

Thus  these  two  men  prayed  in  different  places ; 
but  their  prayers  were  more  different  still. 

"The  Pharisee  stood,  and  prayed  thus  with  him- 
self." Some  think  the  meaning  to  be  that  he  stood 
by  himself  and  prayed ;  and  this  would  quite  agi-ee 
with  the  general  character  and  practice  of  the  Phar- 
isees, who  thought  themselves  peculiarly  hoh',  and 
wi.shed  to  keep  others  at  a  humble  distance  from 
them.  At  all  events,  he  stood  up  boldly  in  his 
2:)roud  self-righteousness,  and  spoke  the  words  of 
prayer  apart. 

Prayer?  It  is  called  prayer,  because  it  pro- 
fessed to  be  so  ;  but  there  was  nothing  of  real 
prayer  in  it.  The  words  were  addressed  to  the 
Almighty:  "God,  I  thank  thee;"  but  his  thoughts 
were  upon  himself.  He  was  really  speaking  to  him- 
self, rather  than  to  God.  And  what  words  they 
were !  True,  the  openmg  words  show  nothing 
wrong:  "God,  I  thank  thee."  Fit  words  indeed 
with  which  to  begin  prayer;  but  we  judge  of  the 
feeling  fixjm  which  they  sprang  by  what  follows : 
"  God,  I  thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men 
are. 

Ill   the   solemn  hour  of  prayer,  how  could  his 


THE   PHARISEE  AND   PUBLICAN.      255 

tliouglits  be  fixed  upon  the  faults  of  others  ?  Had 
he  no  sins  of  his  own  to  confess  ?  AVhat  had  he  to 
do  with  "other  men"  at  such  a  moment?  Who 
liad  taught  him  to  compare  himself  Avith  his  neigh- 
bors, rather  than  Avith  God's  holy  law?  If  he  had 
but  looked  into  that  perfect  law,  and  compared  him- 
self with  it,  how  different  would  his  feelings  and  his 
prayer  have  been.  We  can  hardly  think  of  any 
thing  less  like  pra5'er  than  the  words-  of  this  proud 
Pharisee,  standing  as  in  the  very  presence  of  God, 
and  thanking  Him  that  he  was  so  much  better  than 
others. 

It  may  be  that  there  was  truth  in  his  words :  he 
may  not  have  been  an  extortioner,  or  unjust,  or  an 
adulterer;  he  may  have  been  free  from  some  sins 
of  which  the  publican,  whom  he  noticed  at  that 
moment  in  a  distant  part  of  the  temple,  had  been 
guilty.  But  little  did  he  think  that,  at  that  very 
moment,  when  engaged  in  the  outward  act  of  pray- 
er, he  was  guilty  of  a  sin  quite  as  great  in  the  sight 
of  God  as  extortion,  injustice,  or  adultery.  The 
same  word  which  condemns  these,  condemns  pride 
also ;  and  we  may  believe  that  there  is  nothing  more 
displeasing  to  God  than  a  haughty  self-righteous- 
ness, and  a  proud  despising  of  others. 

This  was  all  his  prayer.  There  Avas  not  a  Avord 
of  confession  of  sin,  not  one  cry  for  mercy,  no  ac- 
knoAvledgment  of  need,  not  a  petition  of  any  kind, 
nothing  asked  for,  either  temporal  or  spiritual.  In 
his  blind  self-satisfaction,  he  flattered  himself, 
doubtless,  that  he  Avas  doing  something  meritorious 
in  praying,  and  thought  that  he  Avas  bringing  some- 


256   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

thing  to  God,  whereas  lie  ought  to  have  gone  to 
God  to  receive  all  from  him. 

Now  let  lis  turn  to  the  other  man.  How  difit'er- 
ent  a  prajer  is  his.  Even  in  outward  appearance 
all  is  different.  There  he  stands,  the  poor  j^ubli- 
can,  afar  off.  His  head  is  bowed,  his  eyes  are  down- 
cast, he  smites  upon  his  breast,  and  the  words  of 
prayer  that  burst  at  once  from  heart  and  lips  are 
these  :  "  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  !" 

This  was  prayer  indeed.  The  publican  had 
learnt  what  the  Pharisee  had  never  learnt.  He 
had  come  to  the  knowledge  that  he  was  a  sinner, 
and  in  need  of  mercy.  Doubtless  the  Pharisee  was 
far  superior  to  him  in  learning;  with  every  part  of 
the  Jewish  law  he  was  well  acquainted ;  he  knew 
probably  every  fact  in  Old  Testament  history,  and 
was  well  versed  in  the  ceremonial  of  his  religion ; 
but  how  much  more  did  this  despised  and  ignorant 
publican  really  know  than  he.  All  the  Pharisee's 
knowledge  was  in  the  head ;  the  publican's  heart 
had  been  taught  of  God. 

If  the  publican  had  been  like  the  Pharisee,  he 
might  have  said :  "  God,  I  thank  thee  that  I  am  not 
so  bad  as  others  of  my  trade.  I  am  not  wholly  set 
upon  gain.  I  have  some  care  for  religion.  I  come 
up  to  thy  house  to  pray."  But  his  thoughts  were 
not  upon  others,  but  upon  himself ;  and  not  upon 
his  fancied  excellence,  but  upon  his  sins.  He  is 
smitten  with  a  sense  of  sin ;  it  weighs  upon  his  soul. 
He  seeks  not  to  hide  his  sin ;  he  comes  to  God  just 
as  he  is,  and  sues  for  mercy.  How  humbly  he  sues; 
with  downcast  oxe  and  smitten  breast,  hardly  daring 


THE   PHARISEE  AND  PUBLICAN.      257 

to  pray,  yet  finding  in  prayer  his  only  relief.  "  Can 
sticli  a  one  as  I  hope  to  be  forgiven  ?"  Yes,  poor 
publican;  jes,  all  who  are  of  the  publican's  spirit. 
You  may  hope;  for  Jesus  himself  speaks  comfort 
and  forgiveness  to  you. 

"  I  tell  you,  this  man  went  down  to  his  house 
justified  rather  than  the  other."  Justified;  that  is, 
pardoned,  acquitted,  accepted.  The  Pharisee  con- 
fessed nothing,  asked  nothing,  received  nothing. 
Proud  he  came  up  from  his  house,  proud  he  Avcnt 
back  again — unhumbled,  unblest.  The  publican 
went  up  to  the  house  of  God  with  a  heavy  burden, 
the  burden  of  his  sins.  Did  he  lose  that  burden 
there?  Surely  we  may  believe  that  he  did.  God, 
Avho  heard  Jiis  prayer,  and  granted  him  mere}', 
doubtless  gave  him  in  his  heart  the  sense  of  for- 
giveness. The  publican  went  down  to  his  house 
comforted  as  v»'ell  as  justified.  His  burden  was 
gone,  his  sins  were  forgiven. 

This  comfort,  this  blessing  was  not  for  him 
alone:  "For  every  one  that  exalteth  himself  shall 
be  abased;  and  ho  that  humbleth  himself  shall  be 
exalted."  There  is  no  comfort  for  the  proud  and 
self-righteous;  but  there  is  all  comfort  for  the  hum- 
ble and  contrite.  Jesus  has  died  for  sinners:  here 
is  the  soiTrce  of  all  our  hopes.  It  is  when  we  cast 
aside  all  thought  of  our  own  goodness,  and  approach 
God  as  sinners,  pleading  the  merits  of  Christ  alone, 
then  it  is  that  we  receive  pardon  and  peace.  There 
are  still  some  who  try  to  comfort  themselves  with 
the  thought  of  their  religious  observances,  their 
moral  life,  their  being  not  so  bad  as  others.     But 


258   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

this  is  not  the  way  to  pardon,  this  is  not  the  way  to 
peace.  Christ  is  the  way,  the  only  way.  We  must 
go  to  him,  casting  aside  all  other  hope  and  depen- 
dence. "  God,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  should 
be  our  prayer;  and  ?re  may  add,  "for  Jesus  Christ 
my  Saviour's  sake;"  for  we  have  a  blessing  that  the 
publican  had  not.  Jesus  has  died,  and  we  now  know 
clearly  that  God  is  "just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
which  belie veth  in  Jesus." 

Oh,  let  us  beware  of  proud,  heartless,  prayerless 
prayers,  with  no  sorrow  for  sin,  no  sense  of  need, 
no  real  asking  of  God.  How  much  we  want;  yet 
not  more  than  God  is  willing  to  give.  Just  as  we 
are,  in  all  our  nakedness  and  need,  let  us  go  con- 
tinually to  the  throne  of  grace.  Our  Advocate  is 
there,  the  all-prevailing  Advocate.  "We  need  not 
stand  afar  oif.  Through  him  we  may  draw  near, 
and  come  boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace. 


LABOKEES  IN  THE  VINEYARD.        259 


XXXV. 

Jhe  Laborers  in  the  Vineyard. 

'•  For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  man  that  is  a  housc- 
hokler,  -which  went  out  early  in  the  morning  to  hire  laborers  into 
his  vineyard.  And  -when  he  had  agi'eed  -with  the  laborers  for  a 
penny  a  day,  he  sent  them  into  his  ^-inej-ard.  ,  And  he  -went  out 
about  the  third  hour,  and  saw  others  standing  idle  in  the  market- 
place, and  said  unto  them :  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard,  and  what- 
soever is  right  I  ^^•ill  give  you.  And  they  went  their  waj'.  Again 
he  went  out  about  the  sixth  and  ninth  hour,  and  did  likewise. 
And  about  the  eleventh  hoiir  he  went  out,  and  found  others  stand- 
ing idle,  and  saith  unto  them,  Why  stand  ye  here  all  the  daj-  idle  ? 
They  say  unto  him,  Because  no  man  hath  hired  us.  He  saith  unto 
them,  Go  ye  also  into  the  vineyard  ;  and  whatsoever  is  right,  that 
shall  ye  receive.  So  when  even  was  come,  the  lord  of  the  vine- 
j-ard  saith  unto  his  steward,  Call  the  laborers,  and  give  them  their 
hire,  beginning  from  the  last  unto  the  first.  And  when  thej'  camo 
that  were  hired  about  the  eleventh  hour,  they  received  every  man 
a  penny.  But  when  the  first  came,  they  supposed  that  they  should 
hiive  received  more  ;  and  they  likewise  received  every  man  a  pen- 
ny. And  when  they  had  received  it,  they  murmured  against  the 
good  man  of  the  hoiise,  saying.  These  last  have  WTOught  but  one 
hour,  and  thou  hast  made  them  eqxial  unto  us,  which  have  borne 
the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day.  But  he  answered  one  of  them, 
and  said,  Friend,  I  do  thee  no  wrong  :  didst  not  thou  agree  with 
me  for  a  penny  ?  Take  that  thine  is,  and  go  thy  way  :  I  will  give 
unto  this  last,  even  as  unto  thee.  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do 
what  I  will  with  mine  own?  Is  thine  eye  evil,  because  I  am  good' 
So  the  last  shall  be  first,  and  the  first  last  :  for  nianj'  be  called, 
but  few  chosen."     Matt.  20  :  1-1  fi. 

5i1ff^j>L>HE  key  to  this  parable  is  to  be  found 
h\       in  the  words  that  go  before  and  that 
^    follow  it ;  they  are  almost  the  same. 

The  parable  begins  with  the  word  "for," 
which  joins  it  to  the  words  that  go  before; 


260       THE  PAEABLES   OF   OUE  LOED. 

"But  many  that  are  first  shall  be  last;  and  the  last 
shall  be  first;"  and  at  its  close  these  words  are  re- 
peated, in  almost  the  same  form,  ^Yith  others  added  : 
"  So  the  last  shall  be  first,  and  the  first  last :  for 
many  be  called,  but.  few  chosen."  The  explanation 
must  clearly  be  looked  for  in  these  words.  Bearing 
this  in  mind,  let  us  first  go  through  the  parable, 
and  then  consider  its  application. 

Yinej'ard  work  was  as  common  in  that  country 
as  field  work  is  with  us.  Laborers  were  often  hired 
by  the  day  only,  and  it  is  still  the  custom  in  some 
parts  of  the  East  for  men  to  stand  in  the  market- 
place to  be  hired.  The  penny  was  equal  to  about 
seveupence  halfpenn}',  and  a  penny  was  probably 
the  usual  day's  wages. 

The  day  was  reckoned  by  the  Jews  to  begin  at 
six  o'clock :  it  was  probably  at  that  hour  that  the 
first  laborers  were  hired,  and  the  rest  were  hired  at 
nine  o'clock,  twelve  o'clock,  three  o'clock,  and  five 
o'clock.  When  these  last  were  engaged,  but  one 
Avorking  hour  remained. 

There  was  nothing  unusual  in  the  hiring.  Those 
hired  for  the  whole  day  were  to  be  paid  the  usual 
day's  wages,  and  those  hired  afterwards  were  to 
receive  what  was  right;  that  is,  as  they  no  doubt 
understood  it,  in  proportion  to  the  time  they  worked. 
But  when  the  time  of  payment  came,  the  laborers 
were  dealt  with  by  the  master  in  a  way  that  must 
have  greatly  surprised  them.  The  first  who  were 
called  to  be  paid  were  those  hired  last,  at  the  elev- 
enth hour,  and  they  received  a  whole  day's  wages. 
Afterwards  those  hired  at  the  ninth,  sixth,  and  third 


LABORERS   IN  THE   VINEYARD.        201 

hour  were  called  in  succession,  and,  tliougli  it  is  not 
mentioned,  they  too  no  doubt  received  the  same. 
The  first  hired  -were  the  last  paid.  They  had  agreed 
for  a  penny  a  day,  and  that  sum  they  received.  But 
they  were  discontented.  Tliougli  it  was  the  sum  for 
Avliich  they  had  bargained,  yet  they  thought  them- 
selves unfairly  treated,  because  others  who  had  not 
worked  nearly  so  long  received  the  same.  The  mas- 
ter, however,  would  not  listen  to  their  complaint. 
There  was  no  ground  for  it.  Might  he  not  do  Avliat 
he  would  with  his  OAvn  ?  Might  he  not  give  to  whom 
he  pleased  ?  For  a  whole  day's  pay  for  an  hour's 
work  was  almost  a  free  gift.  What  was  it  to  them 
if  he  chose  to  show  such  kindness  ?  Let  them  take 
their  due,  and  depart.  He  liad  kept  nothing  from 
them  of  what  was  their  right,  though  he  had  given 
to  others  what  was  far  beyond  their  right. 

The  opening  words  of  the  parable  show  us  that 
it  is  one  of  those  in  which  our  Lord  teaches  us  about 
the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  that  is,  the  gospel  dispen- 
sation, and  God's  dealings  with  men  under  it.  And 
the  particular  lesson  here  taught  is  that  God  claims 
the  ri^ht  of  dealing  with  men  according  to  his  sov- 
ereigii  will,  and  that  men's  place  hereafter,  with 
regard  to  each  other,  will  by  no  means  always  agree 
with  their  place  now. 

There  are  two  distinct  times  maiked  out  in  the 
parable  :  the  hiring  and  working-time  on  tlie  one 
hand,  and  the  paying-time  on  the  other.  The  for- 
mer represents  the  present  state,  the  latt(>.r  the  fu- 
ture. In  the  present  state,  men  are  called  into  the 
outward   ami  "sisiblo  cliureh   at  different  times   in 


262   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

their  life,  and  some  enjoy  greater  advantages  and 
some  less,  and  some  fill  higher  stations  and  some 
lower.  When  the  great  day  of  account  arrives, 
many  changes  will  be  made,  "  many  that  are  first 
shall  be  last,  and  the  last  shall  be  first."  Many  a 
one  who  was  the  child  of  pious  parents,  and  was 
brought  up  from  his  youth  in  the  knowledge  of  Go  d 
and  in  the  habits  of  religion,  will  be  placed  below 
one  who  had  no  such  early  advantages,  and  was 
brought  to  know  God  only  late  in  life.  Many  who 
filled  a  high  station  in  the  church  on  earth,  whose 
names  were  well  known  and  whose  influence  was 
great,  will  then  have  to  take  their  place  below  some 
of  the  poor  and  unlearned ;  poor,  yet  rich  in  faith 
and  in  good  works  ;  unlearned  in  the  wisdom  of  this 
world,  yet  truly  taught  of  God.  For  God  judges 
not  by  the  outward  appearance,  but  by  the  heart; 
and  even  now  in  his  sight  many  of  the  first  are  last, 
and  the  last  first. 

What  goes  before  the  parable  seems  to  show 
that  we  are  to  apply  this  even  to  worldly  advan- 
tages. The  young  man  who  came  to  Christ  had 
great  possessions,  in  that  respect  he  was  among 
the  first;  Peter  and  the  other  disciples  were  poor, 
for  even  what  they  had  they  had  given  up  for  the 
sake  of  following  Christ,  they  were  therefore  among 
the  last ;  yet,  while  that  unhappy  young  man  would 
have  no  treasure  in  heaven  because  he  would  not 
leave  all  and  follow  Christ,  Peter  and  all  true  dis- 
ciples should  receive  a  hundredfold,  and  should 
inherit  everlasting  life.  Thus  the  first  should  be 
last,  and  the  last  first.     The  first  in  riches  would 


LABOREES  IN  THE  VINEYAED.        263 

find  those  very  riches  a  hinderance  iu  their  way,  a 
hinderaiice  from  which  the  poor  would  be  free. 

But  in  the  parable  all  the  laborers  received  the 
same :  how  does  this  fall  in  with  some  being  first 
and  some  last  hereafter?  The  parable  and  the 
lesson  seem  here  not  to  agree.  Perhaps  they  were 
not  meant  to  agree  on  this  point;  for  there  are 
many  parts  in  the  parables  which  form  only  the 
circumstances,  or  scenery,  so  to  speak,  without 
teaching  any  special  lesson.  Yet  there  is  more 
agreement  here  than  appears  at  first  sight.  For 
though  the  men  who  were  hired  last  received  only 
the  same  as  those  who  were  hired  first,  the  same 
and  no  more,  yet  for  the  work  done  they  received 
a  great  deal  more ;  the  first  hired  received  a  penny 
for  a  Avhole  day's  work,  the  last  received  the  same 
for  one  hour ;  they  were  paid  at  a  far  higher  rate, 
and  so  were  first.  Besides,  they  were  paid  first  iu 
order  of  time.  Whether  much  weight  is  to  be  given 
to  this  or  not,  at  least  it  goes  some  way  to  help  us 
out  of  the  difiiculty;  for  certainly  the  last  hired 
were  the  first  paid,  and  so  the  last  were  first. 

Another  question  arises.  What  kind  of  people 
exactly  arc  we  to  understand  by  those  who  are  first 
now  but  will  be  last  hereafter  ?  The  parable  rep- 
resents them  as  really  called  to  work  in  the  vine- 
yard, and  bearing  the  burden  and  heat  of  the  day, 
and  receiving  wages.  This  would  lead  us  to  think 
them  true  Christians,  though  not  of  so  high  a  stamp 
as  those  of  the  other  class.  But  the  case  of  the 
rich  young  man  seems  to  prove  the  contrar}-;  for 
he,  as  far  as  we  know,  never  gained  any  part  in^ 


264   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Again,  those  who  were 
hired  first  murmured  at  the  others'  receivinsr  as 
much  as  they ;  but  will  any  true  Christian  murmur 
at  the  grace  and  mercy  bestowed  on  others,  or  at 
any  of  God's  dealings  under  the  gospel?  The 
question  is  by  no  means  without  difl&culty;  but  I 
am  disposed  on  the  whole  to  take  the  words  in  the 
widest  and  most  general  sense.  Those  who  are 
first  now  comprise  those  who  are  foremost  in  vari- 
ous res]3ects;  first  in  rank,  first  in  wealth,  first  in 
gifts  and  influence,  first  in  point  of  time,  first  in 
religious  advantages,  first  in  station  in  the  church. 
Some  such  are  true  Christians,  but  some  are  not 
so ;  some  there  are  who  have  nothing  of  Christ  but 
the  name,  and  though  they  are  outwardly  members 
of  his  church,  and  thus  by  profession  working  in 
the  Master's  vinej'ard,  and  that  perhaps  all  their 
life  long,  3'et  are  not  really  his.  It  must  be  ob- 
served that  our  Lord's  words  are,  "  Blany  that  are 
first  shall  be  last,"  not  all. 

This  view  is  confirmed  by  what  our  Lord  says 
at  the  close  of  the  parable,  "for  many  be  called, 
but  few  chosen."  The  few  chosen  mean  true 
Christians,  real  spiritual  members  of  the  church  of 
Christ;  the  many  called  mean  all  professing  Chris- 
tians, Avhetlier  real  or  nominal  only.  Those  who 
will  be  first  hereafter  must  be  the  chosen ;  those 
who  will  be  last  must  as  certainly  comprise  num- 
bers who  are  called  but  not  chosen,  Christians  in 
name  but  not  in  heart. 

True,  there  is  another  difficulty  that  meets  us 
here.     All  the  laborers  received  at  the  close  of  the 


LABOEEES  IN   THE  VINEYAED.        2G5 

day,  and  received  the  same ;  how  then  cau  some  of 
them  represent  true  disciples,  and  some  nominal 
Christians?  We  must  not  forget  our  hey.  Our 
Lord's  words  before  and  after  the  parable  mark  a 
clear  difference  between  Avhat  will  be  received  by 
tlie  two  classes,  especiall}'  the  words  that  follow 
the  parable,  "for  many  be  called,  but  few  chosen." 
Either,  therefore,  the  equal  sum  received  by  all  is 
merely  one  of  the  circumstances  of  the  parable,  or 
it  has  a  meaning  in  agreement  Avith  the  key.  In 
the  latter  case  the  meaning  may  be  somewhat  as 
follows : 

Though  the  sum  received  by  all  was  the  same, 
yet  in  some  cases  it  was  what  had  been  bargained 
for,  the  just  wages  and  no  more,  in  others  it  v>'as  a 
gift.  The  penny  therefore  may  be  meant  to  repre- 
sent to  us  a  different  thing  in  the  one  case  from 
that  which  it  represents  in  the  other.  The  laborer 
hired  at  the  beginning  of  the  day  bargained  for  a 
penny,  and  a  penny  he  received.  God  will  never 
give  a  man  less  than  his  due.  The  self-righteous 
man,  the  formalist,  the  nominal  Christian,  the  sin- 
ner, will  receive  the  due  rcAvard  of  his  deeds,  though 
that  will  not  be  eternal  life.  AYhat  he  receives, 
such  as  it  is,  he  has  earned.  A  penny,  the  usual 
day's  wages,  seems  fitly  to  represent  this.  But  the 
laborer  hired  at  the  eleventh  hour  made  no  bargain 
at  all,  but  trusted  to  the  master  to  give  him  what 
should  be  right,  and  at  the  close  of  the  day  received 
far  more  than  he  had  earned.  In  the  former  case, 
justice  paid  the  wages;  in  this  case,  it  is  grace  that 
confers  the  gift.     We  may  trace  this  difference  in 


266   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

the  very  words  of  the  parable:  "Friend,  I  do  thee 
no  wrong:  didst  not  thou  agree  with  me  for  a 
penny?  Take  that  thine  is,  and  go  thy  wa3^" 
Here  is  not  a  Avord  of  favor,  mercy,  or  giving ;  it  is 
bare  justice:  "I  do  thee  no  wrong;"  that  is  alh 
But  in  the  other  case  how  different  is  the  tone ! 
"  I  will  give  unto  this  last  even  as  unto  thee."  "  Is 
thine  eye  evil  because  I  am  good?"  Here  we  see 
goodness  and  grace  concerned. 

Some  have  objected  that  the  penny  is  thus  made 
to  mean  one  thing  in  the  one  case,  and  another 
thing  in  the  other :  in  the  one  case,  the  gift  of  eter- 
nal life  through  grace;  in  the  other,  that  which  a 
man  receives  as  the  fruit  of  his  own  works.  The 
difficulty  is  acknowledged ;  nevertheless  it  does  not 
seem  fatal  to  this  view. 

Let  a  few  words  of  a  practical  kind  close  the 
subject. 

I.  Let  us  have  a  deep  conviction  that  all  that 
God  does  is  right.  Even  if  we  cannot  see  that  it 
is  so,  let  us  humbly  believe  it.  Here  we  see  through 
a  glass  darkly,  but  hereafter  we  shall  see  face  to 
face. 

II.  Let  us  trust  in  no  mere  outward  advanta- 
ges, whether  temporal  or  spiritual;  riches,  station, 
power,  the  means  of  grace,  a  religious  name,  a  high 
position  of  usefulness.  Let  us  seek  earnestly,  that 
we  may  not  be  of  the  number  of  those  who  are  first 
now,  but  shall  be  last  hereafter.  Let  us  seek  to 
be  humble,  true,  sincere,  and  of  a  spiritual  mind. 

III.  If  God  has  placed  us  among  the  last  and 
lowest  now,  yet  let  us  not  complain,  nor  let  us 


LABOEEES  IN  THE  VINEYAED.       207 

think  that  we  cannot  serve  him.  We  may  be  poor 
or  afflicted ;  we  may  have  veiy  little  knowledge, 
and  very  few  opportunities  of  doing  good.  Let  ns 
take  meekly  and  thankfull}'  what  God  sends.  We 
shall  not  always  be  poor;  nay,  we  are  not  poor 
noM',  if  we  have  Christ.  Oar  affliction  is  but  a  light 
affliction,  and  it  is  but  for  a  moment.  We  are 
drawing  near  to  the  world  to  come,  and  there  we 
shall  find  an  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
And  though  our  lot  be  low,  yet  can  we  do  nothing 
for  our  Lord?  And  though  we  may  but  lately 
have  learnt  to  know  him,  yet  can  we  not  w^ork  for 
him  for  the  rest  of  our  day?  Only  let  us  love  him, 
and  he  will  find  us  something  to  do,  and  we  shall 
gladly  do  it. 

IV.  Let  none  put  off  the  great  concern.  As 
soon  as  they  were  called,  at  Avhatever  hour  of  the 
day  it  was,  these  men  went  into  the  vineyard. 
Some,  who  are  continually  being  called,  are  still 
putting  off  obeying  the  call.  They  "  will  obey  later 
in  life,  not  now."  This  is  dangerous  work.  Your 
day  may  come  to  a  close  before  you  are  aware. 
Now  is  the  accepted  time. 

V.  It  was  not  through  their  own  fault  that  some, 
in  the  parable,  stood  all  the  day  idle :  no  man  had 
hired  them.  But  this  cannot  be  said  of  those  who 
are  trifling  life  away,  doing  God  no  service,  and 
making  no  preparation,  for  eternity.  They  are 
standing  idle,  and  some  have  reached  almost  the 
end  of  their  day ;  yet  they  have  been  called  again 
and  again,  and  are  called  still.  Well  may  the 
words  be  addressed  to  such,  "Whv  stand  ve  here 


268   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

all  the  da}^  idle?"  Eternity  is  near.  You  can 
never  have  your  day  again.  Too  much  of  your 
life  has  been  Avasted  alreadj^  yet  some  remains. 
Do  not  waste  what  is  left.  "  Go  ye  also  into  the 
vineyard."  Join  yourselves  to  Christ  by  faith. 
Listen  to  him.  Receive  him  as  your  Saviour.  Fol- 
low him,  serve  him,  do  his  will.  Then  he  will  give 
you,  not  wages,  but  the  gift  of  eternal  life. 


THE  POUNDS.  269 


XXXVl. 


The  Pounds. 

"And  as  they  heard  these  things,  he  added  and  si-)ake  a  para- 
ble, because  he  M-as  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  and  becaiase  thej'  thought 
that  the  kingdom  of  God  should  immediatelj'  appear.  He  said 
therefore,  A  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  country  to  receive 
for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  return.  And  he  called  his  ten  ser- 
vants, and  delivered  them  ten  pounds,  and  said  unto  them,  Occu- 
jiy  till  I  come.  But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  a  message 
alter  him,  saying,  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  he  was  returned,  having  received 
the  kingdom,  then  he  commanded  these  servants  to  be  called  unto 
him,  to  whom  he  had  given  the  money,  that  he  might  know  how 
much  every  man  had  gained  by  trading.  Then  came  the  first,  say- 
ing, Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained  ten  poiinds.  And  he  said  unto 
him.  Well,  thou  good  servant :  because  thou  hast  been  faithful  in 
a  very  little,  have  thou  authorit}'  over  ten  cities.  And  the  second 
came,  saying,  Lord,  thy  jiound  hath  gained  five  ijoimds.  And  he 
said  likewise  to  him.  Be  thou  also  over  five  cities.  And  another 
came,  saying.  Lord,  behold,  here  is  thy  jDOiind,  which  I  have  kept 
laid  up  in  a  napkin  :  for  I  feared  thee,  because  thou  art  an  austere 
man  :  thoti  takest  up  that  thou  layedst  not  down,  and  reapest  that 
thou  didst  not  sow.  And  he  saith  unto  him.  Out  of  thine  own 
mouth  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  servant.  Thou  knewest  that 
I  was  an  austere  man,  taking  up  that  I  laid  not  down,  and  reaping 
that  I  did  not  sow:  wherefore  then  gavest  not  thou  mj' money  into 
the  bank,  that  at  my  coming  I  might  have  rccpiired  mine  own  with 
usury  ?  And  he  said  lauto  them  that  stood  by.  Take  from  him  the 
pound,  and  give  it  to  him  that  hath  ten  pounds.  (And  they  said 
unto  him.  Lord,  he  hath  ten  i>ouuds.)  For  I  say  unto  you.  That 
unto  every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given  ;  and  from  him  that  hath 
not,  even  that  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away  from  him.  But  those 
mine  enemies,  which  would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them, 
bring  hiiher,  and  slav  them  before  me."     Luke  19  :  11-27. 


270   THE  TAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 


'T  was  long  before  the  disciples  learnt 
that  tlieir  Master  did  not  come  to  be 
a  king  like  other  kings,  and  that  his  king- 
dom was  not  to  be  fully  established  imme- 
diately. They  clung  to  the  notion  that  he 
was  going  to  deliver  their  nation  from 
bondage,  and  to  reign  over  it  himself;  and  now  that 
they  were  getting  near  to  Jerusalem,  the  capital  of 
the  country',  they  persuaded  themselves  that  he  was 
on  the  very  point  of  doing  so.  Our  Lord  spoke  this 
parable  to  set  them  right. 

The  disciples  would  have  been  glad  to  see  their 
Master  a  king  at  once,  for  then  doubtless  they 
would  have  had  a  share  in  his  power  and  glory. 
So  they  thought,  and  so  they  wished;  but  it  was 
not  so  to  be.  He  was  first  going  away  for  a  time. 
Far  from  reigning  with  him  yet,  they  were  to  lose 
even  his  presence ;  and  while  he  was  absent  they 
were  to  icork  for  him.  No  work,  no  rest;  no  cross, 
no  crown.  They  were  to  pass  through  much  before 
they  should  be  with  him  in  his  kingdom  of  glor3\ 

It  seems  likely  that  in  the  early  part  of  this  par- 
able our  Lord  alluded  to  a  public  event  that  had 
actually  happened  a  few  years  before,  and  must- 
have  been  still  fresh  in  the  minds  of  all.  The  coun- 
try was  at  this  time  under  the  power  of  the  Ro- 
mans ;  but  the  Bomans  used  to  let  a  Jewish  prince 
reign  over  a  part  of  it  at  least,  with  the  title  of  king, 
and  with  some  of  the  power  of  a  king.  Archelaus, 
son  of  Herod  the  Great,  reigned  in  this  way.  About 
thirty  years  before  this  parable  was   spoken,  he 


THE  POUNDS.  271 

"  went  into  a  far  country,  to  receive  for  himself  a 
kingdom,  and  to  return."  That  is  to  say,  he  went 
to  Kome  to  get  his  claim  to  be  king  allowed  and 
established  by  the  Eoman  government.  This  was 
of  course  well  known  to  the  disciples  as  being  a 
great  public  event  that  had  happened  in  their  own 
country  but  a  few  years  before.  Our  Lord  hkens 
himself,  by  way  of  parable,  to  this  prince.  He  too 
was  going  into  a  far  country,  to  receive  for  himself 
a  kingdom,  and  to  return.  He.  was  about  to  go  to 
heaven,  to  his  Father;  thence,  after  a  time,  he 
would  return,  and  then  his  kingdom  would  be  fully 
set  up  upon  eartli,  and  he  would  reign  as  a  king 
indeed.  But  this  was  not  to  be  yet;  he  was  not 
then  even  gone.  Now  he  has  been  gone  for  above 
eighteen  hundred  years,  but  he  has  not  yet  re- 
turned. 

We  do  not  know  in  whose  liands  Archelaus  left 
his  concerns  while  he  was  absent  at  Eome ;  but  in 
the  parable  our  Lord  represents  the  nobleman  or 
prince  as  delivering  ten  pounds  to  his  ten  servants, 
a  pound  to  each,  Avith  this  charge :  "  Occupy  till  I 
come."  This  pound  is  generally  thought  to  have  ' 
been  equal  to  about  £3  sterling;  but  some  sup- 
pose it  to  have  been  worth  much  more.  What- 
ever the  value  of  it  was,  each  servant  was  to  turn 
liis  pound  to  the  best  account  by  trading  with  it; 
for  that  is  here  the  meaning  of  the  word  "occupy." 
Tlius  Christ,  our  Lord,  has  left  to  us  his  servants 
that  which  Ave  arc  to  turn  to  account  in  his  service. 
To  eacli  of  us  he  has  given  something;  to  each  he 
has  said,  "  Occupy  till  I  come."     The  pound,  in  our 


272   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

case,  does  not  mean  money  only,  but  every  thing 
else  tliat  God  lias  given  us,  and  that  may  be  use- 
fully employed.  We  are  to  make  the  most  of  all, 
and  that  with  a  view  to  our  Lord's  return,  always 
bearing  it  in  mind,  "  Occupy  till  I  come.''  Then  he 
will  reckon  with  us. 

In  the  parable,  the  citizens  or  people  of  the 
kingdom  over  whom  the  nobleman  wished  to  reign, 
hated  him,  and  when  he  was  gone,  sent  a  message 
after  him,  declaring  that  they  did  not  desire  him 
for  their  king.  This  actually  took  place  in  the  case 
of  Archelaus,  He  had  already  exercised  authority 
over  the  Jev.'ish  people  for  some  time,  though  not 
yet  settled  in  the  kingdom  by  the  Romans;  the 
Jews  therefore  knew  his  character,  and  hj  no  means 
wished  him  to  be  their  ruler ;  so  they  sent  ambas- 
sadors after  him  to  Rome,  to  beg  the  Roman  empe- 
ror not  to  make  him  king.  He  was  made  king,  not- 
withstanding, and  we  may  be  sure  that  on  his  return 
he  showed  little  mercy  to  those  who  had  opposed 
him.  It  seems  likely  that  our  Lord  in  the  parable 
alludes  to  this.  As  the  Jews  had  refused  Archelaus 
as  their  temporal  king,  so  would  they  refuse  Christ 
as  their  spiritual  King  and  Saviour.  True,  the  cases 
are  not  altogether  alike,  for  the  Jews  had  probably 
good  reason  for  fearing  Archelaus,  whereas  they 
ought  gladly  to  have  welcomed  Christ;  but  the  like- 
ness is  in  the  rejection :  "  We  will  not  have  this  man 
to  reign  over  us."  This  is  what  the  Jews,  as  a  na- 
tion, said  with  regard  to  Jesus.  They  would  not 
believe  in  him,  or  receive  him  as  the  Messiah ;  they 
would  not  submit  to  him.     Not  only  while  he  was 


THE  POUNDS.  273 

on  earth,  but  after  he  was  gone,  they  refused,  and 
they  do  refuse  still.  Thus  they  do,  as  it  were,  send 
a  message  after  him,  refusing  his  authority.  Oh, 
that  the  day  may  speedily  come  when  that  nation 
shall  turn  and  acknowledge  Jesus  as  the  Christ,  and 
once  more  enjo}^  the  favor  of  God,  But  all  impen- 
itent sinners  do  likewise  in  fact  thus  reject  Christ. 
They  send  no  message  indeed;  few  dare  to  say  in 
words,  "  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over 
us;"  but  they  say  so  by  their  lives.  They  may  call 
themselves  by  his  name,  and  acknowledge  him  in 
outward  form ;  but  they  close  their  hearts  against 
him,  and  do  not  seek  to  do  his  will.  This  is  the 
case  with  thousands  who  bear  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian. It  is  the  case  with  them  nou\  While  Jesus 
is  gone,  while  yet  we  wait  for  his  return  from  that 
far  country,  this  is  their  state  of  heart  and  life  : 
"  We  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us."  It 
is  an  awful  state ;  for  he  will  return,  and  return  to 
reisjn. 

The  next  event  that  comes  in  the  parable — no 
longer  probably  referring  to  Archelaus — is  the  no- 
bleman's return,  having  received  the  kingdom.  The 
first  thing  he  does  is  to  reckon  with  the  servants  to 
whom  he  had  given  the  pounds.  Three  cases  out 
of  the  ten  are  mentioned.  The  first  servant  had 
been  most  diligent  and  successful:  his  pound  had 
gained  ten  pounds.  He  received  high  praise,  and 
was  set  over  ten  cities  in  the  newly-gotten  king- 
dom. The  second  had  been  diligent  also ;  but  his 
success,  and  probably  his  diligence,  had  not  been 
so  great  as  that  of  the  first.      He  had,  liOAvever, 

12* 


274   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

gained  five  pounds,  and  was  made  ruler  over  five 
cities.  But  the  third  servant  had  nothing  to  bring 
to  his  master  save  the  pound  which  he  had  received 
of  him.  He  had  not  lost  it,  but  he  had  done  noth- 
ing to  make  it  more.  He  had  laid  it  up  in  a  safe 
place,  and  now  sought  to  excuse  himself  by  the 
character  of  his  lord.  "For  I  feared  thee,"  said 
he,  "  because  thou  art  an  austere  man  :  thou  takest 
up  that  thou  layedst  not  down,  and  reapest  that 
thou  didst  not  sow."  A  strange  reason  indeed  to 
give  for  his  conduct.  It  was  the  very  reason  for 
not  doing  as  he  had  done.  "  Out  of  thine  own 
mouth  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  servant,"  was 
his  lord's  reply.  If  he  thought  his  master  so  stern 
and  strict,  though  w^e  are  not  to  suppose  him  so 
really,  why  did  he  not  act  accordingly  ?  Why  did 
he  not  at  least  put  the  money  out  at  interest,  that 
some  increase  might  be  made  against  the  master's 
return  ? 

The  servants  and  the  citizens  Avere  plainh'  two 
diiferent  classes.  The  servants  meant  our  Lord's 
disciples,  who  required  to  be  taught  that  they 
had  to  wait  for  their  Lord's  return,  and  mean- 
while to  work  diligently  in  his  service ;  the  citizens 
meant  the  Jewish  nation  at  large.  In  applying  the 
parable  to  ourselves,  Ave  may  take  the  citizens  to 
mean  people  in  general,  and  the  servants  those 
who  make  a  profession  of  serious  rehgion,  and  do 
in  some  measure  engage  in  the  service  of  God. 
Our  Lord  teaches  us  by  the  case  of  the  Uyo  faithful 
servants,  not  only  that  all  such  will  be  rewarded 
hereafter,  but  that  their  reward  will  be  in  propor- 


THE  POUNDS.  275 

tion  to  their  service.  The  man  who  had  gained 
ten  pounds  was  set  over  ten  cities;  he  who  had 
gained  five  pounds,  over  five.  Even  a  cup  of  cold 
water  given  in  the  name  of  a  discijDle  will  not  lose 
its  reward;  the  smallest  service  of  love  will  be  ac- 
knowledged; but  large  service  will  be  largely  re- 
warded, and  a  life  of  peculiar  zeal  and  devotedness 
will  receive  a  special  blessing :  j-et  all  of  grace,  not 
of  debt.  The  reward  given  to  these  servants  was 
a  mere  matter  of  favor,  for  they  did  no  more  than 
they  were  bound  to  do.  Christ  our  Master  gra- 
ciously speaks  to  us  his  servants  of  a  reward,  but 
it  Avill  be  his  free  gift.  We  shall  not  have  earned 
it,  we  shall  not  deserve  it,  yet  he  will  give  it ;  and 
the  thought  is  a  great  and  wholesome  encourage- 
ment to  the  servants  of  Christ  in  their  work. 

But  what  does  the  case  of  the  dotlifal  serrant 
teach?  That  Christ  expects  some  profitable  ser- 
vice from  all.  It  is  not  euough  that  w'S  do  no 
harm  ;  we  must  do  good.  Our  pound  is  not  to  be 
laid  up  in  a  napjiin,  but  used  diligently  in  our 
Lord's  service.  Life  is  given  us  to  serve  him  with, 
life  and  all  that  it  brings  us.  Our  Master  is  not 
an  austere  master,  but  gracious  and  kind,  haviiig 
compassion  on  our  infirmities,  and  willing  at  all 
times  to  give  us  help  and  comfort ;  yet  his  Avord  to 
us  all  is,  "  Occupy  till  I  come ;"  and  he  will  surely 
look  for  a  return  for  what  he  has  given.  Let  each 
servant  consider  where  his  pound  now  is;  for  each 
has  one  somewhere,  either  lying  idle,  or  being  used 
for  the  Master  with  more  or  less  of  diligence  and 
perseverance. 


276   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOED. 

Thfe  pound  Avas  taken  from  the  slothful  servant, 
and  given  to  him  who  had  gained  ten.  Those  who 
had  orders  to  do  this  objected  at  first,  "Lord,  he 
hath  ten  pounds ;"  but  their  master  persisted,  giv- 
ing this  reason  for  so  doing:  "Unto  every  one 
which  hath  shall  be  given,  and  from  him  which 
hath  not,  even  that  he  hath  shall  be  taken  away 
from  him."  It  was  the  nobleman  in  the  parable 
who  said  this.  He  would  deal  thus  with  his  ser- 
vants :  the  slothful  servant  should  be  no  more 
trusted  with  any  of  his  goods;  whereas  the  faithful 
should  be  abundantly  rewarded,  and  trusted  with 
what  was  taken  from  the  slothful.  So,  when  our 
Lord  returns,  nothing  will  be  left  in  the  liands  of 
his  unfaithful  and  unprofitable  servants ;  they  will 
be  stripped  of  all.  But  the  diligent  and  faithful, 
who  have  made  the  fullest  use  of  what  was  com- 
mitted to  them  here  below,  will  be  greatly  promo- 
ted. They  will  receive  such  honor  and  dignitj-  as 
will  surprise  both  themselves  and  others.  The 
King  will  delight  to  honor  thos^e  who  shall  have 
honored  him  by  their  faithful  and  zealous  service. 

Thus  the  prince  acted  towards  his  servants;  but 
there  were  yet  the  citizens  to  be  dealt  with,  who 
had  refused  to  have  him  as  their  king.  What  was 
their  sentence  ?  "  Those  mine  enemies,  which 
would  not  that  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring- 
hither  and  slay  them  before  me."  We  know  not 
whether  Archelaus  took  such  vengeance  .as  this 
on  those  who  had  opposed  him,  or  whether  this 
part  of  the  parable  is  more  general  in  its  mean- 
ing :  but  this  vve  know,  that  "  the  Lord  Jesus  shall 


THE  POUNDS.  277 

be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  migjity  angels,  in 
flaming  fire  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know 
not  God,  and  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  He  now  invites  as  a  Saviour,  and 
Avill  bless  as  a  gracious  king  all  who  receive  him 
and  submit  to  him ;  but  it  will  be  a  fearful  thing  to 
meet  him  in  a  state  of  rebellion.  "  Kiss  the  Son, 
lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way,  when 
his  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little.  Blessed  are  all 
they  that  put  their  trust  in  him." 


278   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


XXXVII. 


jHB  T 


ALENTS. 


"For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  as  a  man  travelling  into  a  far 
country,  who  called  his  own  servants,  and  delivered  unto  them  his 
goods.  And  unto  one  he  gave  five  talents,  to  another  two,  and  to 
another  one ;  to  every  man  according  to  his  several  ability  ;  and 
straightway  took  his  journey.  Then  he  that  had  received  the  five 
talents  went  and  traded  with  the  same,  and  made  them  other  five 
talents.  And  likewise  he  that  had  received  two,  he  also  gained 
other  two.  But  he  that  had  received  one  went  and  digged  in  the 
earth,  and  hid  his  lord's  money.  After  a  long  time  the  lord  of 
those  servants  cometh,  and  reckoneth  with  them.  And  so  he  that 
had  received  five  talents  came  and  brought  other  five  talents,  say- 
ing. Lord,  Thou  delivered  st  unto  me  five  talents  :  behold  I  have 
gained  beside  them  five  talents  more.  His  lord  said  unto  him, 
Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant :  thou  hast  been  faith- 
ful over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things  : 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  lord.  He  also  that  had  received  two 
talents  came  and  said.  Lord,  thou  deliveredst  unto  me  two  talents  : 
behold  I  have  gained  two  other  talents  beside  them.  His  lord  said 
unto  him.  Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant ;  thou  hast  been 
faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee  ruler  over  many  things  : 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  lord.  Then  he  which  had  received 
the  one  talent  came  and  said,  Lord,  I  knew  thee  that  thou  art  a 
hard  man,  reaping  where  thou  hast  not  sown,  and  gathering  where 
thou  hasc  not  strewed :  and  I  was  afraid,  aiid  went  and  hid  thy 
talent  in  the  earth  :  lo,  there  thou  hast  that  is  thine.  His  lord 
answered  and  said  unto  him.  Thou  wicked  and  slothful  servant, 
thou  knewest  that  I  reap  where  I  sowed  not,  and  gather  where  I 
have  not  strewed-:  thou  oughtest  therefore  to  have  piit  my  money 
to  the  exchangers,  and  then  at  my  coming  I  should  have  received 
mine  own  with  usury.  Take  therefore  the  talent  from  him,  and 
give  it  unto  him  which  hath  ten  talents.  For  unto  every  one  that 
hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance  :  but  from  him 
that  hath  not  shall  be  taken  away  even  that  which  he  hath.  And 
cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant  into  outer  darkness  :  there  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth."     Matt.  25  :  14-30. 


THE  TALENTS.  279 


(.~v~^  HIS  parable  is  in  some  respects  much 

like  the  parable   of  the    pounds,   and 

some  of  the  lessons  which  it  teaches  are 

the  same  ;  for  we  have  here  a  master  going 

^'^  into  a  far  countr}^  and  giving  his  property 
into  the  hands  of  his  servants,  and  then 
after  a  time  coming  back  and  reckoning  with  them  ; 
we  find  here  also  two  faithful  servants  who  traded 
with  their  master's  property  and  made  it  more,  and 
one  who  kept  it  in  useless  idleness ;  and  lastly,  we 
see  the  talent  taken  from  the  slothful  servant  and 
given  to  him  who  had  ten  talents,  and  the  slothful 
servant  punished. 

In  these  respects  the  parables  are  alike;  j-ct 
they  are  not  the  same. 

In  the  first  place,  this  parable  was  spoken  at  or 
near  Jerusalem ;  the  other  at  Jericho,  in  the  house 
of  Zaccheus.  Again,  the  parables  themselves  are 
so  different  that  it  is  impossible  to  take  the  two 
passages  in  which  they  are  contained  as  only  differ- 
ent versions  of  the  same  parable.  Nor  does  their 
being  alike  in  some  points  make  any  real  difficultj-. 
It  was  not  at  all  unlikely  that  our  Lord  should 
make  use  of  the  same  figure  in  his  teaching  at 
Jerusalem  as  he  had  done  shortly  before  at  Jeri- 
cho ;  or  that,  in  doing  so,  he  should  yet  make  a 
difference.  Such  seems  to  be  the  trutli  of  the  case. 
These  are  two  parables,  spoken  on  different  occa- 
sions, having  a  general  likeness,  and  yet  unlike  in 
several  points. 

In  this  parable  the  sums  given  to  the  servants 


280   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

"were  different ;  to  one  were  given  five  talents,  to 
another  two,  to  another  only  one.  Each  received 
according  to  his  ability,  that  is,  his  siipposed  ]oower 
to  manage  the  sum  profitably.  Whatever  the  value 
of  the  talent  was,  (and  it  is  reckoned  to  have  been 
worth  a  great  deal  more  than  the  pound  in  the 
other  parable,)  the  sums  were  different — the  largest 
was  five  times  as  great  as  the  smallest.  So  God 
does  not  give  to  all  alike.  Some  he  places  in  a  high 
station,  some  in  a  low  one ;  each  in  that  for  which 
he  sees  him  to  be  fit.  One  man  he  makes  rich, 
another  poor ;  to  one  he  gives  great  powers  of  mind, 
and  the  means  of  getting  learning ;  another  has 
small  abilities  and  few  opportunities.  We  are  not 
therefore  to  envy  one  another,  or  to  wish  for  the 
gifts  or  stations  of  others.  It  should  be  enough 
for  us  that  our  heavenly  Master  has  placed  us  where 
we  are,  and  given  us  what  we  have,  be  it  much  or 
little.  He  knows  best.  Our  main  desire  should  be, 
not  to  have  more,  but  to  use  well  what  we  have. .  If 
it  be  but  one  talent,  while  others  have  five,  yet  much 
may  be  done  with  the  one.  At  all  events,  it  is  what 
our  Master  has  seen  fit  that  we  should  have. 

Why  did  he  who  had  received  the  one  talent  do 
nothing  with  it  but  bury  it  in  the  ground?  The 
reason  he  gave  was  just  the  same  as  that  given  by 
the  man  in  the  other  parable.  He  was  afraid,  he 
said;  for  he  tliought  his  master  a  hard  man,  bent 
upon  getting  even  more  profit  than  could  be  fairly 
expected,  and  therefore  little  likely  to  make  allow- 
ance for  failure  or  loss;  so,  to  guard  against  these, 
he  hid  the  money  in  the  earth — there  it  would  at 


THE  TALENTS.  281 

least  be  safe,  though  it  could  make  no  profit.  Uu- 
godly  men,  and  unfaithful  servants  of  Christ,  have 
very  wrong  notions  of  Him  who  is  their  Master. 
They  fear  God,  instead  of  loving  him;  fear  him, 
not  in  a  scriptural  and  right  way,  but  with  a  feeling 
of  dread  and  alarm.  They  do  not  know  him  as  the 
God  of  grace  and  love.  The}'  little  think  how  kind 
he  is  to  his  servants,  how  ready  to  make  allowance 
for  them,  and  to  help  them.  They  have  no  grati- 
tude and  love,  leading  them  to  desire  to  do  his  will ; 
and  being  thus  without  motive,  they  shrink  from 
responsibilities  which  they  ought  to  undertake,  and 
are  content  to  do  nothing.  The  man  in  the  para- 
ble, Avhen  he  said  that  he  was  afraid,  doubtless 
made  the  best  of  his  case ;  and  when  such  persons 
as  I  have  mentioned  refuse  to  take  part  in  good 
works,  because,  as  they  say,  they  fear  the  responsi- 
bility of  doing  so,  they  are  probably  much  more 
influenced  by  mere  sloth  and  self-indulgence. 

There  is  another  reason  which  sometimes  leads 
people  to  act  like  the  man  who  buried  his  talent. 
Because  their  gifts  are  small  and  their  opportuni- 
ties few,  therefore  they  despise  them.  If  they  were 
richer,  or  more  learned,  or  if  they  lived  in  a  differ- 
ent kind  of  place,  and  had  more  people  to  whom 
they  could  do  good,  or  more  waj-s  open  to  them  of 
working  for  God,  how  gladly,  think  they,  would 
they  lead  an  active  and  useful  life!  But  as  it  is, 
it  seems  to  them  not  worth  while  to  tr^-.  They  see 
nothing  they  can  do  that  is  worth  doing.  Thus, 
having  but  one  talent,  they  go  and  bury  it  in  the 
earth.      If  they  had  five  or  two,  they  would  trade 


282   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

with  them  diligently — so  they  think.  But  would 
they?  There  is  no  reason  whatever  to  suppose 
that  he  who  neglects  small  opportunities,  would 
make  use  of  great  ones ;  or  that  one  who  lets  his 
own  talent  go  unemplo^'ed,  would  do  any  better  if 
he  could  exchange  with  his  neighbor.  The  man 
with  one  talent  was  just  as  much  bound  to  do  his 
best  with  it  as  the  man  with  five.  The  person 
whose  means  of  serving  God  seem  the  smallest,  is 
as  much  bound  to  serve  Him  in  his  measure  as  he 
whose  means  are  largest ;  and  faithful  service  will 
receive  an  equal  reward,  whether  the  talents  have 
been  many  or  few. 

For,  in  this  parable,  the  man  who  brought  his 
master  two  talents  received  as  rich  a  blessing  as  he 
who  brought  five.  The  words  of  blessing  spoken 
to  both  are  the  same.  It  is  not  as  it  was  in  the 
other  parable.  And  why?  Because  here  the  sums 
intrusted  to  the  servants  were  different :  one  had 
five  talents  given  to  him,  the  other  only  two.  When 
therefore  this  last  brought  two  talents  more,  he 
received  equal  praise  with  him  who  brought  five, 
for  he  had  shown  equal  faithfulness  and  diligence. 
Our  Master  expects  from  us  according  to  what  he 
Jias  given  to  us.  "  If  there  be  first  a  willing  mind, 
it  is  accepted  according  to  that  a  man  hath,  and  not 
according  to  that  he  hath  not."  This  is  how  God 
is  graciously  pleased  to  accept  our  offerings,  and 
this  is  how  he  will  judge  of  our  use  of  his  gifts  in 
general.  In  the  great  day  of  account,  many  of  the 
poor  and  humble  will  doubtless  receive  as  rich  a 
blessing  as  those  who  have  been  far  above  them  in 


THE  TALENTS.  283 

this  life,   however  faithfully  these  last  may  have 
employed  their  talents. 

It  Avas  "after  a  long  time,"  that  the  master  came 
and  reckoned  Avitli  his  servants.  Long  as  the  time 
Avas,  however,  the  faithful  servants  never  forgot  that 
lie  was  coming  back,  but  persevered  in  making  the 
most  of  their  talents  up  to  tlie  very  lionr  of  liis 
return.  Not  so  tlie  slothful  servant.  It  appears 
that  no  sooner  was  his  master  gone,  than  he  went 
and  buried  bis  talent.  If  afterwards  lie  ever  had 
uneasy  tliouglits  about  the  reckoning,  probably  the 
long  time  helped.him  to  get  rid  of  them.  "  M}'  lord 
dela^-eth  his  coming" — such  was  his  feeliug;  and, 
not  being  engaged  in  liis  service,  but  occupied  in 
his  oAvn  concerns,  he  most  likely  seldom  gave  a 
thought  to  the  buried  talent  or  to  his  lord's  return. 
It  is  so  now.  The  faithful  servants  of  Christ  are 
continually  looking  for  his  coming,  and  though  the 
time  is  long,  yet  is  their  faith  not  shaken;  they 
know  that  he  will  come,  and  while  the  tlionght  stirs 
them  up  to  a  diligent  use  of  their  talents,  that  very 
use  helps  to  keep  his  coming  in  their  mind.  The 
slothful  and  careless,  on  the  contrary,  forget  the 
coming  of  the  Lord,  as  they  forget  their  talents  and 
their  responsibility.  The  time  is  long,  and  yet  he 
does  not  come.  All  things  go  on  as  usual.  They 
are  busied  in  their  own  affairs.  All  besides  is  for- 
gotten, or  almost  forgotten.  How  will  they  meet 
him  when  he  comes?  And  what  account  Mill  the}' 
give  ? 

The  slothful  servant  in  this  parable  was  dealt 
with  in  the  same  way  as  the  one  in  the  other  para- 


284   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED, 

ble ;  lie  was  trusted  no  longer,  he  lost  all,  the  talent 
was  taken  from  him,  and  he  received  his  master's 
stern  condemnation  as  a  "wicked  and  slothful  ser- 
vant." But  this  parable  carries  us  a  step  farther, 
and  shows  us  his  awful  end :  "  And  cast  5-e  the  un- 
profitable servant  into  outer  darkness :  there  shall 
be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth."  Whatever  this 
might  mean  in  the  parable  itself,  whatever  dark 
underground  dungeon  this  unhappy  man  was  to  be 
thrust  into,  we  know  well  what  the  meaning  is  with 
regard  to  those  who  are  unfaithful  to  Christ.  The 
outer  darkness  represents  that  awful  world,  where 
the  light  of  God's  countenance  never  shines,  and 
into  which  no  hope  ever  comes;  the  "weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth  "  describe  the  despair  of  the  lost. 

But  is  not  this,  it  may  be  asked,  the  doom  of 
gross  and  outrageous  sinners — the  robber,  the  mur- 
derer, the  adulterer,  the  blasphemer?  Can  this  be 
what  lies  before  one.  who  is  but  a  slothful  servant  ? 
Yes,  it  is  so.  There  is  nothing  in  this  parable' 
about  the  robber,  the  blasphemer,  and  such  like. 
It  is  the  case  of  the  man  who  buried  his  talent  in 
the  earth  that  is  described,  and  that  alone.  But  ho 
is  called  loicked,  as  well  as  slothful;  his  slothfulness 
was  wickedness  in  his  master's  sight,  and  so  is  that 
of  the  unfaithful  servants  of  Christ.  For  his  ser- 
vants they  are,  by  right  and  responsibility,  though 
unfaithful  and  useless  servants. 

Oh,  how  will  some  wish  that  they  could  have 
their  time  on  earth  again,  and  once  more  have  tal- 
ents intrusted  to  them  which  they  might  improve ! 
How  bitter  will  be  the  thought,  that  once  thev  had 


THE   TALENTS.  285 

gospel  offers  and  gospel  means ;  tliat  the}'  had  the 
service  of  Christ  proposed  to  them,  talents  intrusted 
to  them,  and  the  coming  of  Christ  set  before  them 
as  that  for  which  the}'  should  prepare  !  And  now, 
that  time,  that  state,  is  past  for  ever.  These  thoughts 
have  come  too  late.  They  would  not  think  seri- 
ously while  they  might,  but  trifled  life  away,  with 
no  thought  of  its  responsibilities,  till  at  lengtli  the 
end  came.  Ah,  let  not  yoio-  thoughts  come  too  late. 
Think  in  time — think  now.  Consider  your  talents, 
your  responsibility,  your  great  account,  and  the 
coming  of  your  Lord.  The  time  may  be  long,  yet 
he  will  come.  Let  him  not  find  your  talent  buried, 
and  vou  not  looking  for  his  cominp;-. 


28G       THE  PAEABLES   OF  OUE  LOED. 


XXXVIII. 


The   Two    Sons. 


"A  certain  man  had  two  sons  :  and  he  came  to  the  first,  and 
said,  Son,  go  work  to-day  in  my  vineyard.  He  answered  and 
said,  I  will  not :  but  afterward  he  repented,  and  went.  And  he 
came  to  the  second,  and  said  likewise.  And  he  answered  and 
said,  I  go,  sir :  and  went  not.  Whether  of  them  twain  did  the 
will  of  his  father  ?  They  say  unto  him.  The  first.  Jesus  saith 
unto  them.  Verily  I  say  i;nto  you.  That  the  publicans  and  the 
harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  God  before  you.  For  John  came 
unto  you  in  the  way  of  righteousness,  and  ye  believed  him  not : 
but  the  j)iiblicans  and  the  harlots  believed  him  :  and  ye,  when  ye 
have  seen  it,  repented  not  afterward,  that  ye  might  believe  him." 
Matt.  21:28-32. 

'^.yHIS  parable  is  not  difficult  to   iiiuler- 
r^       stand,  for  it  is  one  of  those  whicli  our 


Lord  liimself  explained.  He  bad  been 
speaking  to  the  chief  priests  and  elders 
about  John  the  Baptist.  Now  many  oj^eu 
sinners  had  repented  at  the  preaching  of 
John;  but  the  priests /and  dders  had  not  repented. 
The  son  who  said,  "  I  go,  sir,  and  went  not,"  rep- 
resented them ;  the  other  son,  who  at  first  refused 
to  go,  but  afterwards  repented  and  went,  repre- 
sented the  penitent^^sinners,  the43iiblicans  and  har- 
lots. These  last  had  lived  in  wilful  sin,  making 
no  pretence  of  obeying  God,  but  saying  by  their 
conduct,  "I  will  not."  The  Jewish  rulers,  on  the 
other  hand  professed  to  serve  God,  and,  whatever 
their  lives  might   really  be,  probably  kept  up  a 


THE   TWO  SONS.  287 

decent  outward  ajipearance.  But  tliey  did  not 
really  serve  God ;  their  hearts  were  not  given  to 
him;  they  said,  and  did  not.  When  John  came 
preaching  repentance,  and  preparing  the  waj'  of 
Christ,  they  did  not  believe  or  repent;  and  even 
afterwards,  when  they  saw  numbers  turned  to  God 
by  his  means,  they  still  remained  impenitent.  Thus 
the  despised  publicans  and  harlots  entered  into  the 
kingdom  of  God  before  the  proud  scribes  and  Phar- 
isees. 

But  though  this  was  the  first  and  direct  appli- 
cation of  the  parable,  it  may  properly  be  applied 
more  widely.  There  are  still  sinners  wdio  repent 
at  the  preaching  of  the  gospel ;  and  there  are  still 
people  answering  to  these  Jewish  priests  and  elders, 
professing  godliness,  but  in  reality  far  from  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

Our  Lord  does  not  here  justify  sinners,  as  sin- 
ners; he  takes  these  publicans  and  harlots  in  their 
changed  condition,  after  the}'  have  repented  and 
believed,  and  then  declares  that  they  find  admit- 
tance into  the  kingdom  of  God.  If  they  had  re- 
mained impenitent,  they  must  have  perished.  The 
son  in  the  parable  Avas  wrong  to  say,  "  I  will  not," 
though  his  conduct  afterwards  was  right. 

Nor  does  our  Lord  condemn  a^^j^i'ofession  of 
religion,  as  such,  but  only  a  vain  and  empty  pro- 
fession. The  other  son  was  right  in  what  he  said, 
though  wrong  in  what  he  did.  Many  people  excuse 
themselves  thus  for  an  imgodly  life,  "  I  make  no 
profession."  AYe  ougld  to  make  a  profession,  only 
it  should  be  a  real  and  true  profession. 


288   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LORD. 

It  is  not  clear  tliat  these  JeAvisli  rulers  were  all 
hypocrites,  though  probably  many  of  them  were. 
Some  perhaps,  mistook  profession  for  reality,  and 
flattered  theidselves  that  they  were  in  the  right 
way,  because  their  lives  did  not  show  those  gross 
sins  which  appeared  in  many  around  them.  There 
is  much  danger  of  this.  A  gross  sinner,  when  he 
thinks  at  all,  must  know  that  he  is  in  the  wrong, 
and  that  he  stands  in  need  of  a  great  change.  A 
man  of  a  decent  and  moral  life,  on  the  other  hand, 
who  lives  in  no  oi^en  sin,  and  attends  to  the  out- 
Avard  parts  of  religion,  is  apt  to  think  that  no  such 
change  is  required  in  him.  His  eyes  are  not  open- 
ed to  see  Avhat  sin  is  in  its  spirit;  and,  abstaining 
as  he  does  from  its  grosser  forms,  he  thus  keeps 
conscience  asleep. 

But  sin  has  many  different  forms;  and  who  shall 
venture  to  say  which  is  the  most  offensive  in  the 
sight  of  God  ?  We  see  two  men,  one  leading  a  life 
of  gross  sin,  the  other  living  decent!}",  though  show- 
ing no  sign  of  spiritual  religion.  Without  giving 
much  thought  to  the  subject,  Ave  set  donii  the  gross 
sinner  at  once  as  the  worse  man  of  the  two.  But 
is  that  judgment  certainly  right  ?  There  are  what 
may  be  called  smooth  sins,  as  well  as  rough  sins ; 
and  if  that  man  of  decent  life  be  covetous,  extor- 
tionate, unmerciful,  proud,  or  self-righteous,  who 
can  sa}^  how  God  looks  upon  him  as  compared  Avitli 
the  other?  Siu  of  every  kind  is  condemned  in 
Scripture,  and  condemned  equally,  though  man  has 
made  distinctions. 

The  great  practical  point  for  each  to  consider 


THE  TWO   SONS.  289 

from  tlie  parable  is  this :  what  is  my  religion  ?  Is 
it  a  mere  profession,  a  decent  hfc,  an  abstaining 
from  gross  sin  ?  Is  it  no  better  than  the  obedience 
of  him  who  said,  "  I  go,  sir ;  and  went  not  ?"  Is  it 
a  name,  or  a  reality?  a  thing  of  the  heart,  or  a 
thing  of  the  tongue  only  ?  Has  any  change  taken 
place  in  mo,  any  repenting,  any  believing,  any  com- 
ing to  Jesus,  to  that  very  Saviour  to  whom  John 
the  Baptist  pointed  ? 

They  are  very  solemn  words  of  our  Lord,  words 
that  should  raise  serious  thoughts  in  many  a  heart ; 
"Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  that  the  publicans  and  the 
harlots  go  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  before  you.'' 
Before  whom  ?  Before  hypocrites,  before  mere 
professors,  before  those  who  say  and  do  not,  before 
those  who  have  a  name  to  live  and  are  dead.  Great 
and  awful  is  the  danger  of  all  sinners ;  but  that 
man  seems  in  greatest  danger,  who  is  priding  him- 
self on  a  moral  life,  and  wrapping  himself  up  in 
the  fancied  security  of  his  own  merits.  God's  grace 
can  change  any  heart ;  but,  humanly  speaking,  the 
gross  sinner,  who  knows  himself  to  be  in  the  wrong 
way,  is  more  likely  to  be  brought  to  God  than  the 
smooth  offender  who  fancies  himself  in  the  right 
way  already. 

For  both  there  is  but  one  way,  the  Living  Way, 
Jesus  Christ.  His  grace  can  reach  all,  his  blood 
can  cleanse  sinners  of  every  shade.  He  has  opened 
the' gate  of  mercy  to  publicans  and  harlots,  to  self- 
deceivers,  yea,  even  to  the  self-righteous,  if  they 
will  cast  aside  all  other  dependence,  and  simply 
look  to  him. 

l>«r,U,I.^  ■       13 


290   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


XXXIX. 

The   Wicked    Husbandmen. 

"A  certain  man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  set  a  hedge  about  it, 
and  digged  a  i^lace  for  the  winefat,  and  built  a  tower,  and  let  it 
out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into  a  far  country.  And  at  the 
season  he  sent  to  the  husbandmen  a  servant,  that  he  might  receive 
from  the  husbandmen  of  the  fruit  of  the  vineyard.  And  they 
caught  him,  and  beat  him,  and  sent  him  away  empty.  And  again 
he  sent  unto  them  another  servant ;  and  at  him  they  east  stones, 
and  wounded  him  in  the  head,  and  sent  him  away  shamefully 
handled.  And  again  he  sent  another ;  and  him  they  killed,  and 
many  others  ;  beating  some,  and  killing  some.  Having  yet  there- 
fore one  son,  his  well-beloved,  he  sent  him  also  last  unto  them, 
saying.  They  will  reverence  my  son.  But  those  husbandmen  said 
among  themselves,  This  is  the  heir;  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and 
the  inheritance  shall  be  ours.  And  they  took  him,  and  killed 
him,  and  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard.  What  shall  therefore  the 
lord  of  the  vineyard  do  ?  he  will  come  and  destroy  the  husband- 
men, and  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others.  And  have  ye  not 
read  this  scripture  ;  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  is  be- 
come the  head  of  the  corner :  This  was  the  Lord's  doing,  and  it 
is  marvellous  in  our  eyes?  And  they  soTight  to  lay  hold  on  him, 
but  feared  the  people  :  for  they  knew  that  he  had  spoken  the 
parable  against  them:  and  they  left  him,  and  went  their  way." 
Makk  12  : 1-12  ;  see  also  Matt.  21  ;  Luke  20. 

^_  HIS  parable  is  found  in  all  the  gospels, 
except  that  of  St.  John,  and  with  very 


little  difference. 

There  is  no  doubt  about  its  meaning, 
or  about  the  persona  to  whom  our  Lord 
meant  to  apply  it;  for  we  read  that  the 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees  themselves  "knew  that 
he  had  spoken  the  parable  against  them."     Con- 


THE  WICKED  HUSBANDMEN.         291 

science  told  them  so,  and  tliey  were  right;  our 
Lord  did  not  contradict  their  thought. 

The  Jewish  teachers  were  well  acquainted  with 
their  own  Scriptures,  and  this  parable  no  doubt  at 
once  brought  to  their  minds  the  fifth  chapter  of  the 
prophecy  of  Isaiah,  in  which  the  same  figure  of  a 
vineyard  is  used:  "My  well-beloved  hath  a  vine- 
j-ard  in  a  very  fruitful  hill :  and  he  fenced  it,  and 
gathered  out  the  stones  thereof,  and  planted  it  with 
the  choicest  vine,  and  built  a  tower  in  the  midst  of 
it,  and  also  made  a  wine-press  therein."  That  par- 
able of  the  Old  Testament  was  meant,  as  they  well 
knew,  to  describe  the  Jewish  nation,,  "for  the  vine- 
yard of  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  house  of  Israel, 
and  the  men  of  Judali  his  pleasant  plant."  T\'hen 
therefore  the  Jewish  teachers  heard  our  Lord  use 
the  same  figure,  (though  in  rather  a  difi'erent  way,) 
and  when  they  heard  him  go  on  to  describe  con- 
duct which  exactly  agreed  with  their  fathers'  and 
their  own,  they  well  understood  that  he  spoke  the 
parable  against  ihcm. 

The  vineyard,  which  the  man  in  the  parable 
planted  with  so  much  care,  represented  the  Jewish 
church  established  by  Almighty  God.  The  rest  of 
the  world  was  in  spiritual  darkness,  but  God  chose 
the  Jewish  nation  to  be  enlightened  hy  his  word, 
and  to  enjoy  religious  privileges.  Thus  this  nation 
occupied,  as  it  were,  an  enclosed  place.  While  the 
rest  of  the  world  was  spiritually  in  a  wild  and  des- 
ert state,  the  Jews  were  in  a  vineyard  carefully 
prepared  for  them..  Every  provision  was  made  for 
their  good,  their  comfort,  and  their  usefulness.    As 


292   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LOKD. 

in  the  parable  there  were  the  hedge,  the  wine- 
press, and  the  tower,  so  did  God  give  them  laws 
and  ordinances  which  fenced  them  off  from  other 
nations  and  their  idolatrous  practices,  and  prom- 
ised them  his  protection,  and  taught  them  how  to 
serve  and  please  him.  They  were  the  husbandmen 
who  were  to  occupy  the  vineyard.  It  was  not 
theirs,  but  it  was  let  out  to  them  as  tenants. 

But  tenants  have  rent  to  pay;  and  in  ancient 
times,  and  in  eastern  countries,  rent  was  often  paid 
in  kind ;  no  money  passed,  but  a  part  of  the  prod- 
uce of  the  land  went  to  the  landlord  as  his  rent. 
Accordingly,  at  the  season  for  gathering  the  grajDes, 
this  householder  sent  to  the  husbandmen  for  his 
share  of  the  fruit.  But,  instead  of  giving  it,  they 
ill-treated  his  servants ;  and  when  he  sent  again 
and  again,  they  still  refused,  and  only  used  his 
messengers  worse  and  worse,  "beating  some,  and 
killing  some."  This  part  of  the  parable  represents 
the  way  in  which  the  Jews  treated  God's  messen- 
gers, the  prophets.  God  looked  for  fruit  from 
them,  in  return  for  their  religious  light  and  knowl- 
edge, the  fruit  of  righteousness ;  and  prophets  were 
sent  from  time  to  time,  as  his  messengers,  to  de- 
clare his  will  to  them,  to  speak  to  them  his  word, 
and  to  call  them  to  repentance.  But  they  would 
not  listen  to  the  messengers  of  God.  Some  right- 
eous doubtless  there  always  were  among  them,  but, 
as  a  nation,  they  rebelled  against  God,  and  rejected 
and  ill-treated  his  servants.  Our  Lord  himself  re- 
proached them  for  this :  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 
which  killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  that 


THE   WICKED   HUSBANDMEN.  21)3 

are  sent  unto  thee."  The  martyr  Stephen  did  the 
same :  "  TMiich  of  the  prophets  have  not  j'our  fa- 
thers persecuted  ?"  Thus  did  the  Je^YS,  generation 
after  generation,  treat  the  messengers  of  God. 

The  owner  of  the  vineyard,  finding  it  useless  to 
send  servants,  at  length  determined  to  send  his  only 
and  well-beloved  son.  "  They  wall  reverence  my 
son,"  said  he.  But  on  the  contrary,  these  wicked 
husbandmen  now  went  farther  than  ever  in  crime. 
Far  from  reverencing  their  master's  son,  no  sooner 
did  the}^  set  eyes  on  him  than  they  determined  to 
put  him  to  death.  "This  is  the  heir,"  said  they; 
"come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  inheritance  shall  be 
ours."  This  plan  they  carried  out  at  once.  "  They 
took  him,  and  killed  him,  and  cast  him  out  of  the 
vineyard."  We  know  what  this  means.  In  the  ful- 
ness of  time  God  sent  his  Son,  his  only  and  well- 
beloved  Sou,  into  the  world,  and  first  to  the  Jewish 
nation.  But  the  Jews  rejected  him,  and  caused 
him  to  be  put  to  death.  They  ought  to  have  rever- 
enced him ;  for  his  coming  had  been  foretold,  and 
gracious  words  and  wonderful  works,  and  even  a 
voice  from  heaven,  proclaimed  him  to  be  the  Son  of 
God.  Instead  of  this,  they  filled  up  the  measure  of 
their  iniquities  by  crucifying  the  Lord  of  glory ;  the 
Jewish  rulers  thinking  that  they  would  thus  keep 
the  power  which  they  possessed  over  the  people, 
and  that  so  the  inheritance  would  be  theirs.  We 
may  perhaps  apply  these  last  words  in  this  way ;  or 
it  may  be  that  this  plan  of  the  husbandmen  is  but 
the  filling  up  of  the  story  of  the  parable,  and  has  no 
application  to  the  Jews ;  especially  as  in  the  para- 


294   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

ble  tlie  liusbanclmen  kneAv  and  ackno\yleclged  their 
lord's  son,  while  the  Jews,  on  the  other  hand,  denied 
that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God. 

We  cannot  but  be  struck  with  the  proof  here 
given  that  our  blessed  Lord  is  the  divine  Son  of 
God.  How  great  a  difference  is  made  in  the  para- 
ble between  the  servants  and  the  son !  Probably  the 
lord  of  the  vineyard  sent  the  highest  and  best  of  his 
servants  on  gucli  an  errand ;  yet  his  sending  his  son, 
his  "  one  son,  his  well-beloved,"  is  spoken  of  as  a 
distinct  thing  altogether ;  they  were  but  servants — 
this  was  his  son.  In  the  opening  of  the  epistle  to 
the  Hebrews  we  find  the  same  great  distinction 
made  between  the  ancient  messengers  of  God  and 
the  Son  of  God  :  "  God,  who  at  sundry  times  and  in 
divers  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers 
by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken 
unto  us  by  his  Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir 
of  all  things,  by  whom  also  he  made  the  worlds." 
Prophets  and  apostles  were  but  men — ^good,  holy, 
devoted,  and  even  inspired,  yet  still  but  men  ;  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God;  himself 
God  as  well  as  man. 

The  story  of  the  parable  leaves  off  at  this  point. 
The  husbandmen  have  slain  the  son  and  cast  him 
out  of  the  vineyard.  "  When  the  lord  therefore  of 
the  vinej^ard  cometh,  what  will  he  do  unto  those 
husbandmen?"  Our  Lord  put  this  question,  and  it 
was  answered  by  those  who  heard  him;  not  per- 
haps by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  but  by  some  of 
the  multitude.  "  He  will  miserably  destroy  those 
wicked  men,"  said  they,  "  and  will  let  out  his  vine- 


THE   WICKED   HUSBANDMEN.  295 

jixvd  unto  otlier  liusbandmen,  which  shall  reudei' 
him  the  fruits  iu  their  seasons."  Thus  we  read  in 
St.  Matthew.  In  8t.  Luke's  account  it  would  rather 
seem  that  our  Lonl  himself  gave  the  answer  to  his 
own  question,  for  it  is  added :  "  And  Avhen  they 
heard  it,  they  said,  God  forbid,"  or,  Let  it  not  be 
so.  But  it  may  be  that  some  of  the  multitude, 
thinking  only  of  tlie  story,  gave  that  answer,  and 
that  then  others  of  those  present,  who  saw  that  our 
Lord  meant  the  story  to  apply  to  the  Jews,  said : 
"God  forbid!" 

But  our  Lord  pressed  the  application  home  to 
them,  reminding  them  of  what  was  written  in  their 
own  Scriptures:  "The  stone  which  the  builders 
rejected  is  become  the  head  of  the  corner;  this  was 
the  Lord's  doing,  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes ;" 
and  adding,  according  to  St.  Matthew :  "  Therefore 
say  I  unto  you.  The  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  taken 
from  you,  and  given  to  a  nation  bringing  forth  the 
fruits  thereof.  And  whosoever  shall  fall  on  this 
stone  shall  be  broken :  but  on  whomsoever  it  shall 
fall,  it  will  grind  him  to  powder."  None  of  those 
who  heard  him  could  any  longer  be  in  doubt  as  to 
his  meaning.  As  the  vineyard  in  the  parable  would 
be  taken  from  the  husbandmen,  so  should  God's 
presence  and  favor,  and  the  means  of  grace,  and 
'the  gospel,  be  taken  from  the  ungrateful  and  unbe- 
llieving  Jews,  and  bestowed  on  others,  that  is,  on  the 
Gentiles ;  because  the  Jews  were  about  to  act  like 
the  husbandmen ;  already  they  were  refusing  to 
acknowledge  Christ,  and  soon  they  would  put  him 
to  death. 


296   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

The  passage  about  the  stone  hardly  belongs  to 
the  parable,  yet  it  is  mixed  u-p  with  it.  'It  is  taken 
from  the  118th  Psalm,  and  is  undoubtedly  a  proph- 
ecy about  Christ,  whatever  other  meaning  it  may 
have.  Jesus  was  the  stone,  the  chief  corner-stone ; 
but  the  builders,  the  Jewish  rulers,  rejected  him ; 
yet  this  stone  was  to  be  the  head  of  the  corner, 
Jesus  was  to  be  the  head  of  his  church.  Whoever 
should-  fall  on  this  stone,  whoever  through  unbelief 
should  cause  Christ  to  be  to  them  as  a  stumbling- 
stone  or  rock  of  offence,  should  be  hrol'en,  should 
suffer  a  great  injury,  to  say  the  least ;  but  on  whom- 
soever it  should  fall,  it  should  grind  him  to  powder  ; 
all  obstinate  unbelievers,  who  should  set  themselves 
in  opposition  to  Christ,  and  refuse  to  the  last  to 
obey  him,  must  in  the  end  be  crushed  by  his  al- 
mighty power,  and  j)erish  for  ever. 

But  does  this  relate  to  the  Jews  only  ?  Surely 
not.  If  they,  as  a  nation,  have  been  cast  off  for  a 
time  on  account  of  their  rejection  of  Christ,  how 
shall  the  sinner,  the  careless,  the  unbeliever,  the 
man  wdio  is  a  Christian  in  name  only,  but  brings 
forth  no  fruit  to  God,  how  shall  he  escape  ?  Such  a 
man  is  in  the  vineyard  now ;  God  in  his  providence 
has  placed  him  there.  He  belongs  outwardly  to 
the  church  of  Christ,  knows  the  word  of  God,  and 
has  the  means  of  grace  within  reach.  If  he  renders 
no  service  to  God,  if  he  turns  a  deaf  ear  to  God's 
ministers,  and  does  in  fact  reject  Christ,  because  he 
does  not  believe  on  him  with  the  heart,  what  re- 
mains for  him  ?  He  will  lose  the  blessings  which 
he  never  valued  aright,  and  for  which  he  has  mado 


THE  WICKED   HUSBANDMEN.  297 

no  return ;  nay,  further,  he  must  look  to  find  Him 
who  would  have  been  a  Saviour,  an  awful  Judge, 
executing  vengeance  on  all  who  do  not  receive  liim. 
One  more  lesson  we  may  learn.  The  Jewish 
rulers  knew  that  our  Lord  was  speaking  of  them  : 
yet  they  did  not  repent;  but  were  only  the  more  set 
against  him.  When  the  word  of  God  strikes  home, 
it  sometimes  happens  that  a  man  is  only  made  an- 
gry. Conscience  tells  him  that  the  w'ord  is  true, 
and  true  against  lain ;  jei  this  does  not  of  itself 
lead  him  to  repentance,  for  only  grace  can  do  that; 
on  the  contrary,  it  does  but  make  him  perhaps 
uneasy  and  displeased.  If  ever  you  are  angry  at 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  ask  yourself  why  you 
are  so.  It  may  be  because  you  know  that  what  is 
preached  is  a  true  witness  against  you.  But  do  not 
be  angr3\  Eather  be  sorry.  Pray  God  to  make 
you  so ;  to  give  you  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  you  may 
be  led  to  repentance  and  to  Christ.  AVhy  strive 
against  God?  why  resist  the  voice  of  conscience? 
why  "kick  against  the  pricks?  '  How  much  better 
and  happier  to  submit  to  Jesus  as  the  Lord  of 
grace  and  mercy  and  salvation ! 


13« 


298   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

XL. 

The    jBuDDiNG    Fig-Tree. 

' '  Now  learn  a  parable  of  the  fig-tree :  when  bis  branch  is  j'et 
tender,  and  putteth  forth  leaves,  ye  know  that  summer  is  nigh ; 
so  likewise  ye,  when  j'e  shall  see  ail  these  things,  know  that  it  is 
near,  even  at  the  doors.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  This  generation 
shall  not  pass,  till  all  these  things  be  fulfilled.  Heaven  and  earth 
shall  pass  awixy,  but  my  words  shall  not  pass  away."  Matthew 
2-1:32-35;  see  also  Maek  13;  Luke  21. 

^2>*^  UE.  Lord  was  seated  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives  wlieu  lie  spoke  the  long  aud 
solemn  prophecy  of  which  this  parable 
forms  part.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the 
narrow  valley  that  lay  between  him  aud 
Jerusalem  rose  the  temple  in  full  view; 
and  in  the  valley  itself,  and  on  the  slope  of  the 
mount,  there  were  fig-trees  as  well  as  olive-trees. 
It  was  now  spring-time,  and  the  fig-tree  was  begin- 
ning to  shoot.  Its  branches  were  soft  and  tender 
from  the  rising  ©f  the  sap,  and  already  leaves  began 
to  appear.  Growth  is  even  quicker  in  that  country 
than  with  us ;  it  was  j)lain  that  summer  was  near. 

Our  Lord  drew  the  attention  of  his  disciples  to 
this.  The  fig-trees  were  close  at  hand,  and  might 
well  serve  to  teach  them  a  lesson.  He  bade  them 
notice  the  budding  branches,  the  sign  of  the  coming 
summer,  and  then  added :  "  So  likewise  ye,  when  ye 
shall  see  all  these  things,  know  that  it  is  near,  even 
at  the  door." 


THE   BUDDING  FIG-TREE.  299 

"  These  things "  meant  tlie  signs  of  which  he 
had  just  been  speaking,  especially  the  Koman  army 
surrounding  Jerusalem ;  and  the  event  that  was  to 
follow  so  closely  was  the  destruction  of  that  city, 
and  the  dispersion  of  the  Jewish  people.  For 
though  our  Lord,  in  speaking  of  this,  did  also  carry 
on  the  thoughts  of  the  disciples  to  his  second  com- 
ing and  the  end  of  the  world,  yet  ho  is  not  alluding 
to  that  here ;  for  he  expressly  says,  '*  This  genera- 
tion shall  not  pass  till  all  these  things  be  fulfilled." 
Some  of  those  who  heard  him  would  be  still  alive 
at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  which  took  place 
between  thirty  and  forty  years  afterwards.  He 
warns  them,  and  all  his  followers  who  should  be 
then  living,  to  take  notice  of  the  signs  which  were 
to  go  before  that  great  event,  and  to  act  according- 
ly. As  soon  as  those  signs  appeared,  they  were  to 
leave  the  cit}^  and  thus  to  escape  a  share  in  its 
destruction.  Let  them  carefully  watch  those  signs, 
therefore  ;  for  as  surely  as  the  budding  fig-tree  fore- 
told the  summer,  so  surelj-  M-ould  the  city  be  soon 
destroyed,  and  the  nation  scattered,  when  once 
they  should  appear. 

All  took  place  according  to  our  Lord's  words. 
The  signs  of  which  he  spoke  did  appear;  the  Ro- 
man army  came  against  Jerusalem,  and,  in  no  long 
time  after,  the  city  was  taken  and  destroyed.  The 
disciples  of  Christ,  or  at  least  the  greater  part  of 
them,  acted  on  the  warning  he  had  given  them, 
and  left  the  city  in  time  to  escape  its  destruction. 
Thus  his  words  were  fulfilled,  "  Heaven  and  earth 
shall  pass  aw£iy,  but  my  Vords  shall  not  pass  away." 


300   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

Kingdoms  were  sliakeii,  cities  were  destroyed,  great 
commotions  took  place  in  the  world,  yet  nothing 
could  change  what  he  had  said.  All  that  he  fore- 
told came  true. 

And  so  will  all  else  that  he  has  foretold.  Every 
prophecy  that  has  been  fulfilled  is  a  pledge  and 
assurance  that  all  other  prophecies  shall  be  fulfilled 
in  their  time ;  and  the  disciples  of  Christ  accord- 
ingly are  to  give  heed  to  his  word,  and  to  w'hat  is 
happening  around  them,  and  to  mark  the  signs  of 
the  times. 

Especially  we  ought  to  do  this  with  regard  to 
the  second  coming  of  our  Lord.  In  this  proj)hecy 
the  two  great  events  of  which  he  speaks,  the  de- 
struction of  Jerusalem  and  his  own  coming,  are  so 
linked  together,  that  there  is  some  difiiculty  in 
knowing  when  he  is  speaking  of  the  one,  and  when 
of  the  other,  and  when  perhaps  of  both.  The  dis- 
ciples, who  heard  him  speak,  themselves  no  doubt 
felt  this  difiiculty ;  and  little  did  they  think  that 
eighteen  hundred  years  at  least  would  pass  between 
the  happening  of  the  two  things  thus  foretold  to- 
gether. But  this  ver}^  difiiculty  is  not  without  its 
use.  The  very  mingling  of  the  two  events  in  the 
same  prophecy  must  have  led  the  disciples  to  look 
upon  both  as  equally  certain ;  and  still  more  should 
it  lead  us,  now  that  one  of  them  has  taken  place, 
to  feel  sure  that  the  other  also  will  take  place  in 
its  time. 

The  two  events  are  spoken  of  in  the  same  proph- 
ecy ;  yet,  in  one  important  respect,  there  is  a  differ- 
ence to  be  observed.     "\Vith'>  regard  to  the  destruc- 


THE  BUDDING  FIG-TEEE.  301 

tion  of  Jeinsaleni,  ouv  Lord  said  that  the  genera- 
tion of  men  living  when  he  spoke  should  not  all 
have  died  before  it  should  take  place;  but  with 
regard  to  his  own  second  coming  and  the  end  of 
the  Avorld  ho  said,  "But  of  that  day  and  hour  know- 
etli  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  of  heaven,  biit  my 
Father  only."  Thus,  at  the  3Gth  verse,  he  seems 
to  make  a  change.  He  had  been  speaking  of  what 
should  take  j^lace  within  the  lifetime  of  some  then 
living;  now  he  speaks  of  that  which  should  take 
place  quite  as  certainly,  but  no  one  knew  when, 
none  but  the  Father.  In  applj-ing  the  lesson  of 
the  parable  to  ourselves,  we  must  bear  in  mind  this 
difference. 

Yet  we  tnaii  apply  the  lesson  to  ourselves,  and 
that  most  profitably,  with  regard  to  the  coming  of 
the  Lord ;  but  not  so  much  with  reference  to  its 
lime  as  to  its  certainti/. 

We  are  to  mark  the  signs  of  the  times;  for  the 
coming  of  Christ  will  as  surely  follow  them  as  sum- 
mer followed  the  budding  of  the  fig-tree ;  not  so 
quickly,  but  as  surely.  There  have  been,  and  still 
are,  nniny  different  opinions  as  to  the  signs  of  the 
coming  of  the  Lord.  There  have  been  jDrobabl}- 
in  all  ages  serious  Christians,  Avho  have  thought 
that  they  saw^  in  events  that  happened  in  their  day 
signs  of  his  approach.  There  are  many  who  think 
thus  now.  These  thoughts  and  expectations  are 
not  to  be  lightly  regarded,  still  less  to  be  turned 
into  ridicule.  Even  if  we  do  not  share  them,  Ave 
should  nevertheless  be  led  by  them  to  deeper  thought 
and  more  watchful  preparation.      The  Lord    icill 


302   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

come.  It  may  be,  that  these  very  expectations  in 
the  minds  of  his  people  are  among  the  signs  of  his 
coming.     Let  ns  mark  them  accordingl3^ 

But,  putting  aside  the  question  of  time,  we 
should  give  earnest  heed  to  all  the  signs  which  tell 
that  he  will  surely  come.  Ancient  prophecy,  his 
own  words,  the  state  of  the  world,  the  case  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  Avrong  that  is  to  be  set  right,  war 
that  is  to  be  changed  into  peace,  and  a  thousand 
things  around  us  that  pain  and  grieve  us,  as  far  as 
we  can  tell,  will  never  be  greatly  mended  till  he 
come — these  are  so  many  signs  to  us,  more  or  less 
sure,  of  his  coming.  "We  should  mark  these  things, 
and  ponder  them  in  our  minds.  We  are  not  created 
to  live  carelessly,  wrapped  up  in  our  own  little  con- 
cerns of  the  day,  and  unconcerned  about  the  great 
things  that  are  to  be.  As  far  as  the  word  of  God 
gives  light,  let  us  walk  in  that  light.  As  far  as  we 
can  find  scriptural  ground  for  seeing  in  things  that 
happen  the  signs  of  our  Master's  coming,  let  us 
mark  those  things  narrowly  and  seriously.  While 
we  must  beware  of  indulging  baseless  fancies  and 
vain  imaginations,  and  above  all  of  twisting  Scrip- 
ture to  suit  them,  let  us  look  to  it  also  that  we  fall 
not  under  our  Lord's  rej^roof  of  the  Pharisees  and 
Sadducees,  "Ye  can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky;  but 
can  ye  not  discern  the  signs  of  the  times?" 

Eighteen  hundred  years  have  passed  since  our 
Lord  spoke  of  his  coming,  and  still  he  has  not 
come,  and  still  his  words  hold  good — "  Of  that  day 
and  hour  knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  of 
heaven."     Though  so  much  time  has  passed,  we 


THE  BUDDING  FICI-TPiEE.  303 

are  still  in  the  same  j^osition  as  the  disciples— ser- 
vants 'svaitiDg  for  our  Lord,  knowing  that  he  Avill 
come,  and  that  he  may  come  soon,  but  not  know- 
ing when.  But  this  we  are  clearly  told,  that  "  the 
day  of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in. the  night," 
and  that,  to  some  at  least,  he  will  come  suddenly. 
Whatever  views  may  be  held  on  other  points,  in 
this  there  seems  no  room  for  difference  among  the 
servants  of  Christ.  He  says  to  us  all,  "  Watch 
therefore,  for  ye  know  not  what  hour  your  Lord 
doth  come."  Season  after  season  has  the  fig-tree 
budded,  and  the  summer  come.  Eighteen  centu- 
ries ago  our  Lord's  W'Ords  about  Jerusalem  were 
fulfilled ;  and  still  the  wandering  Jew  remains  a 
standing  witness  to  the  truth  of  prophecy,  and  still 
Ave  look  for  "that  da}'  and  that  hour"  which  "no 
man  knoweth."  Let  us  look  for  it  humbly,  watch- 
fully, diligently ;  with  a  sure  hope,  a  full  trust,  a 
solemn  yet  glad  expectation.  Let  us  see  that  our 
loins  be  girded  about,  and  our  lights  burning ;  let 
each  servant  be  about  his  work;  and  oh!  let  each 
one  of  us  make  sure  that  he  is  a  servant  of  Christ 
indeed.  Let  none  put  off  seeking  the  Saviour  till 
the  Lord  shall  come  in  his  glory.  Let  none  say  in 
his  heart,  "  My  Lord  delayeth  his  coming."  Let 
none  disregard  the  Avarning  voice  and  the  signs  of 
the  times;  lest,  coming  suddenly.  He  find  thoui 
sleeping. 


801   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


XLI. 

The  Wise  and   Foolish   V'^gins. 

"Then  sliall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened  unto  ten  vir- 
gins, Avhich  took  their  himps,  and  went  forth  to  meet  the  bride- 
groom. And  five  of  them  were  wise,  and  five  were  foolish.  They 
that  were  foolish  took  their  lamps,  and  took  no  oil  with  them  ; 
but  the  wise  took  oil  in  their  vessels  with  their  lamps.  While  the 
bridegroom  tarried,  thej'  all  slumbered  and  sleijt.  And  at  mid- 
night there  was  a  cry  made,  Behold,  the  bridegroom  cometh  ;  go 
ye  out  to  meet  him.  Then  all  those  virgins  arose,  and  trimmed 
their  lamps.  And  the  foolish  said  unto  the  wise.  Give  us  of  your 
oil ;  for  our  lamps  are  gone  out.  But  the  wise  answered,  saying. 
Not  so  ;  lest  there  be  not  enough  for  us  and  you  :  but  go  ye  rather 
to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  yourselves.  And  while  they  went 
to  buy,  the  bridegroom  came ;  and  they  that  were  ready  went  in 
with  him  to  the  marriage :  and  the  door  was  shut.  Afterward 
came  also  the  other  virgins,  saying.  Lord,  Lord,  open  to  us.  But 
he  answered  and  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  j'ou,  I  know  you  not. 
Watch  therefore,  for  ye  know  neither  the  day  nor  the  hour  where- 
in the  Son  of  man  cometh."    Matt.  25  : 1-13. 


HIS  parable,  like  so  maEy  other  of  the 
^~^       parables  of  our  Lord,  represents  "  the 


kingdom  of  heaven,"  that  is,  God's  spirit- 
ual government  upon  earth  under  the  gos- 
pel dispensation;  and  the  particular  time 
intended  is  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man, 
when  the  present  state  of  things  will  be  brought 
to  an  end.  This  is  plain  from  the  opening  words, 
"Then  shall  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  likened;" 
then,  that  is,  at  the  time  just  before  spoken  of,  the 
the  time  of  the  sudclen  coming  of  the  Lord. 


WISE  AND  FOOLISH  VlilGINS.         305 

The  more  precise  meauiug  of  the  parable  is  not 
cliffienlt  to  arrive  at,  if  "\ve  bear  in  mind  the  cus- 
toms of  that  time  and  country. 

Tlieir  marriages  were  very  different  from  ours, 
and  so  are  marriages  among  the  Jews,  and  in  east- 
ern countries,  stilL  The  bridegroom,  accompanied 
by  friends  and  attendants,  usuall}^  brought  his  bride 
from  her  father's  house  to  his  own  at  night-time. 
But  Avhile  some  thus  went  with  them,  others  waited 
to  meet  him  on  his  return ;  and  as  the  time  of  his 
return  must  be  in  some  measure  uncertain,  espe- 
cially if  the  bride  came  from  a  distance,  it  Avas 
necessary  that  those  wlio  were  to  meet  him  should 
vratch  for  his  coming. 

The  parable  represents  ten  virgins  going  forth 
in  this  way  to  meet  a  bridegroom  on  his  bringing 
home  his  bride.  Five  of  them  Avere  wise,  that  is, 
prudent  and  thoughtful;  and  five  were  foolish.  The 
five  wise  virgins  made  provision  for  having  to  Avait 
perhaps  a  considerable  time,  by  taking  oil  with 
them  to  refill  their  lamps ;  but  the  others  made  no 
such  provision :  they  took  their  lamps,  but  took  no 
oil  Avitli  them.  The  night  wore  aAvay,  the  bride- 
groom Avas  later  probably  than  any  of  them  ex- 
pected, and  they  all  slept.  But  at  midnight  they 
Avere  roused  by  the  cry  that  the  bridegroom  Avas 
coming.  The  Avise  virgins  had  nothing  to  do  but 
to  trim  their  lamps  Avitli  the  oil  Avhich  they  had 
provided,  and  they  Avere  quickly  ready.  Not  so  the 
foolish.  Tlieir  lamps  had  gone  out,  and  they  had 
no  oil  to  fill  them  Avitli  again.  In  their  dismay  they 
applied  to  the  Avise  virgins.     But  they  had  none  to 


306   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

spare :  they  had  made  provision  for  their  own  want, 
but  not  for  that  of  the  rest.  There  was  nothing  left 
for  the  foolish  virgins  but  to  go  with  all  speed  to 
buy  more  oil.  But  Avliile  they  were  gone,  the  bride- 
groom came.  The  procession  entered  the  house, 
joined  by  the  five  virgins  who  were  ready;  and 
when  the  other  five  returned  shortly  afterwards, 
they  found  the  door  shut.  It  could  not  be  opened 
again.  To  all  their  entreaties  the  master  of  the 
house  only  replied,  "  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  I  know 
you  not." 

The  ten  virgins  represent  professing  Christians, 
waiting,  or  professing  to  wait,  for  the  coming  of 
Christ.  The  five  wise  virgins  are  real  Christians. 
The  oil  in  their  lamps  means  perhaps  the  grace  of 
God  in  their  hearts ;  or,  more  generally,  a  state  of 
true  preparation,  through  grace,  for  the  coming  of 
Christ.  The  five  foolish  virgins  are  nominal  Chris- 
tians, making  the  same  profession  as  the  others, 
but  having  no  real  religion,  and  no  true  prepara- 
tion of  heart.  B}'  their  all  sleeping  we  are  perhaps 
to  understand  that  not  even  true  Christians  are  so 
Avatchful  as  they  ought  to  be  for  the  coming  of  the 
Lord.  Or  it  ma}'  be  that  no  blame  is  intended. 
Perhaps  the  wise  virgins  were  not  Avrong  in  sleep- 
ing, seeing  they  were  ready  for  the  summons  when 
it  came. 

But  in  the  great  day  true  Christians  will  be  able 
to  give  no  help  to  those  who  are  found  unprepared. 
Each  must  answer  for  himself.  Grace  is  not  a  thing 
which  we  can  give  to  another.  The  soul  that  is 
washed  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  made  new  hy  the 


WISE   AND  FOOLISH  VIKGINS.        307 

Holy  Spirit,  will  be  saved  for  ever ;  but  that  soul 
will  have  no  helj)  to  give  to  another. 

And  when  that  day  shall  have  come,  it  will  be 
too  late  to  seek  help  even  of  God.  Now  he  is  ready 
to  hear  and  answer  prayer.  Now  he  will  give  his 
Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him.  Now  Jesus  will 
in  no  wdse  cast  out  him  that  conieth  unto  him. 
But  we  are  warned  in  Scripture  again  and  again 
that  the  day  of  grace  is  limited,  and  Avill  come  to 
an  end.  "Strive  to  enter  in;"  that  is,  strive  noiv ; 
"  for  man}-  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able,"  because  they  will  not  seek  till  it  is  too  late. 

"The  door  was  shut."  How  awful  are  these 
words  !  How  sad  !  How  hopeless  !  Other  doors 
ma}'  open  again,  but  not  that  door.  At  other  times 
entreaties  may  prevail,  but  not  then.  The  day  of 
grace  will  have  passed  when  that  time  arrives,  and 
those  against  whom  the  door  is  closed  will  be  shut 
out  for  ever. 

We  are  all  in  the  situation  represented  in  the 
parable.  Our  Lord  is  coming,  and  we  have  to  meet 
him.  And  we  are  all  like  either  the  wise  or  the 
foolish  virgins,  for  there  is  no  other  class.  Either 
we  are  prepared,  or  not  prepared.  What  an  awful 
diflt'crence  !  What  a  solemn  question  !  And  all  the 
more  so,  because  outAvardly  those  who  are  so  dif- 
ferent may  seem  much  alike.  The  ten  virgins,  be- 
fore the  hour  of  trial,  seemed  alike.  They  all  went 
forth  to  meet  the  bridegroom ;  they  ill  had  their 
lamps  with  them,  ft  was  not  till  the  bridegroom 
came  that  the  difterence  appeared.  So  professing 
Christians  may  live  together  now,  and  worship  to- 


308   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

getlier ;  they  may  liold  the  same  doctrine,  and  be- 
long to  the  same  church ;  yet  how  vast  a  difference 
may  the  coming  of  Christ  disclose  !'  How  many  will 
be  separated  then  who  have  been  joined  on  earth ! 
How  many,  who  seemed  in  many  respects  alike, 
will  prove  to  have  been  utterly  different ! 

AVhat  is  our  state  now?  The  midnight  cry  may 
soon  be  heard ;  the  Lord  may  come  suddenly ;  how 
should  we  be  found?  Are  we  like  the  wise ?  Have 
we  made  provision?  Is  there  oil  in  our  vessels? 
Have  we  sought  Christ?  Are  we  walking  in  the 
Spirit?  Are  we  Avatching  for  our  Lord?  "Watch 
therefore,"  he  said.  Watch  tvJien  ?  When  the  trum- 
pet is  heard,  when  the  clouds  rend,  when  the  Son 
of  man  appears  ?  No ;  watch  noio,  this  day,  this 
very  hour ;  "  for  ye  know  neither  the  day  nor  the 
hour  wherein  the  Son  of  man  cometh."  Oh,  woe 
to  those  whom  he  will  find  unprepared ! 

Is  there  any  peculiar  meaning  in  what  the  wise 
virgins  said  to  the  foolish,  "  But  go  ye  rather  to 
them  that  sell,  and  buy  for  j-oursfelves  ?"  Perhaps 
not.  Perhaps  we  are  onl}^  to  understand  that  they 
could  not  help  them;  they  must  go  to  those  who 
could.  Nevertheless  the  words  bring  this  thought 
to  the  mind:  Grace  and  salvation  in  Christ  are 
free,  "without  money  and  without  price;"  yet  here 
the  advice  is  to  go  to  them  that  sell,  and  huy. 
While  salvation  is  to  be  had  at  all,  it  is  to  be  had 
as  a  gift  only,  not  to  be  houcfid,  but  to  be  freely 
received.  When  the  time  of  grace  is  past,  and  sal- 
vation can  no  longer  be  had,  then  what  would  not 
the  poor  lost  one  give  to  purchase  it?     Then  he 


WISE  AND  FOOLISH  VIRGINS.         309 

Avould  willing!}'  go  to  them  that  sell,  and  buy  even 
at  the  price  of  all  he  ever  had.  But  it  will  be  too 
late  then.  "  What  is  a  man  profited,  if  he  shall 
iiain  the  whole  Avorld,  and  lose  his  owu  soul?  or 
Avhat  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?" 
"  Behold,  wni-  is  the  accepted  time,  behold  now  is 
the  day  of  salvation." 


310   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 


XLII. 


The  Vine  and  the  Branches. 

"I  am  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is  the  husbandman.  Ev- 
ery bi'anch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit  he  taketh  away:  and  every 
branch  that  beareth  fruit,  he  purgeth  it,  that  it  maj'  bring  forth 
more  fruit.  Now  ye  are  clean  through  the  word  M'hich  I  have  spo- 
ken unto  you.  Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  yoii.  As  tlie  branch  cannot 
bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine  ;  no  more  can  ye, 
except  ye  abide  in  me.  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches :  He 
that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit :  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.  If  a  man  abide  not  in 
me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered  ;  and  men  gather 
them,  and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  are  burned.  If  ye 
abide  in  me,  and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  will, 
and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you.  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that 
ye  bear  much  fruit ;  so  shall  ye  be  my  disciples."    John  15  : 1-8. 


'^/if<iNri;tP^  UR  Lord  had  taught  his  discii3les 
much  by  means  of  parables,  espe- 
cially just  before,  in  those  which  we  find 
in  the  twenty -fourth  and  twenty -fifth 
chapters  of  St.  Matthew.  But  now,  at  the 
end  of  the  long  discourse,  of  which  this 
parable  of  the  vine  forms  part,  he  said :  "  These 
things  have  I  spoken  unto  you  in  proverbs;  but  the 
time  Cometh,  when  I  shall  no  more  speak  unto  you 
in  proverbs,  but  I  shall  show  you  plainly  of  the 
Father."  By  proverbs  he  seems  to  have  meant 
every  kind  of  proverbial  and  figurative  teaching, 
including  parables.     He  had  then  just  spoken  to 


VINE  AND   BllANCHES.  311 

tliem  this  parable  of  the  vine  ;  he  would  teach  them 
no  more  in  that  way. 

From  its  nature  and  subject,  this  parable  is  well 
fitted  to  be  the  last.  Many  of  the  others,  especially 
those  spoken  just  before,  relate  to  the  church  of 
Christ  at  large ;  but  this  is  more  personal.  Before 
he  was  taken  from  them,  our  Lord  Avould  lead  his 
disciples  seriously  to  consider  Avhat  part  they  had 
in  him,  lest  they  should  deceive  themselves  by 
taking  it  for  granted  that  they  belonged  to  that 
kingdom  of  heaven  of  which  he  had  told  them  so 
much,  while  j-et  they  had  but  an  outward  union 
with  him.  The  case  of  Judas  might  well  be  a  warn- 
ing to  them.  He  had  been  one  of  the  apostles,  and 
so  had  seemed  to  belong  to  Christ,  But  he  was  but 
a  fruitless  branch,  and  as  such  he  had  been  taken 
away.  At  the  time  when  our  Lord  spoke,  he  had 
already  left  the  little  band  of  disciples,  and  had 
gone  out  to  betray  his  Master.  Yet  up  to  that  very 
night  he  had  seemed  to  belong  to  Christ,  as  a  branch 
to  the  vine.  Let  them  take  warning  by  so  sad  a 
case.  Let  them  not  trust  in  any  seeming  union. 
Let  them  abide  in  Christ  indeed. 

\Yhatever  it  was  that  led  our  Lord  to  choose  the 
vine  as  the  figure  in  this  parable,  there  is  a  special 
force  and  meaning  in  it.  The  vine  is  a  humble  tree, 
not  great  and  tall  like  the  cedar  and  the  oak.  So 
our  Lord  came  in  a  humble  way,  as  it  was  foretold 
of  him  :  "  For  he  shall  grow  up  before  him  as  a  ten- 
der plant,  and  as  a  root  out  of  a  dry  ground ;  he 
hath  no  form  nor  comeliness ;  and  when  we  shall 
see  him,  there  is  no  beauty  that  we  should  desire 


312   THE  PARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

him."  Again,  the  vine  is  valuable  only  for  its  fruit ; 
the  wood  is  of  no  use.  This  represents  the  fruit- 
fulness  that  is  required  in  Christians.  Mere  profes- 
sion is  nothing.  "While  any  tree  therefore  would 
have  answered  the  purpose  of  showing  the  union 
between  Christ  and  his  people,  as  between  tree  and 
branch,  there  is  a  peculiar  fitness  in  the  vine,  a 
humble,  yet  fruit-bearing  tree. 

"  I  am  the  true  vine,"  says  our  Lord.  Perhaps 
he  means,  the  natural  vine  is  but  a  figure ;  I  am 
what  the  figure  represents.  Or  he  may  mean  to 
teach  us  that,  though  there  may  be  other  pretended 
sources  of  spiritual  life  and  growth,  he  is  the  only 
true  source.  Therefore  he  says,  not  merely,  "I  am 
the  vine,"  but,  "I  am  the  true  vine."  It  is  not  even 
doctrines,  however  right,  that  will  give  us  life ;  doc- 
trines, forms,  ceremonies,  ordinances,  all  have  their 
proper  use,  but  they  cannot  give  life ;  Christ  is  the 
true  vine,  and  we  must  be  joined  to  him  as  branch- 
es, or  there  is  no  life  in  us. 

"  And  my  Father  is  the  husbandman ;"  the 
owner  and  cultivator  of  the  vineyard,  and  the 
dresser  of  the  vine.  It  is  God  who  deals  with  the 
branches.  Every  one  who  bears  the  name  of  Chris- 
tian is  under  his  continual  observation.  Ho  knows 
the  spiritual  state  of  each,  and  comes  seeking  fruit. 
The  work  of  a  husbandman,  especially  in  a  vine- 
yard, requires  constant  watchfulness  and  care  :  God 
never  forgets  or  overlooks  even  one  branch. 

The  manner  of  his  dealing  with  the  branches  is 
described  very  particularly  by  our  Lord. 

First  he  mentions  the  fruitless  branch.     "Every 


VINE  AND  BKANCHES.  313 

branch  in  me  tliat  bcarcth  not  fruit,  he  taketh 
away."  These  words  have  been  a  difficulty  to 
some.  How  can  any  one  be  in  Christ,  and  yet  be 
unfruitful  ?  But  our  Lord  means  those  who  are  in 
Inm  by  profession  and  in  appearance  onl}^  Judas 
was  so  till  he  was  taken  away.  Nominal  Christians 
are  so.  True,  the  figure  and  the  lesson  do  not  ex- 
actly agree  here,  for  in  nature  the  fruitless  branch 
is  as  much  joined  to  the  \ine  as  the  fruitful ;  but 
this  is  often  the  case  in  our  Lord's  parables. 

"  EA'ery  branch  in  me  that  beareth  not  fruit,  he 
taketh  away."  Every  vine-drcsser  does  so,  and  the 
heavenl}'  Husbandman  does  so  too.  EVen  in  the 
natural  vine,  though  the  branch  grows  out  of  the 
tree,  yet  being  fruitless,  it  is  treated  as  if  it  did  not 
belong  to  it :  in  the  case  of  the  sj)iritual  vine,  there 
is  no  real  union  at  all.  The  husbandman  takes 
away  such  a  branch  as  useless.  God  also,  in  his 
own  time,  takes  aAvay  the  mere  nominal  Christian, 
and  Avill  not  suffer  him  any  longer  even  to  seem  to 
belong  to  Christ.  If  nothing  else  does  so,  death  puts 
an  end  to  this  seeming  union,  and  takes  away  the 
fruitless  branch.  But  often,  before  death,  God  in 
his  providence  takes  such  a  one  aAva}"  from  the 
means  of  grace.  He  did  not  profit  by  them  while 
he  had  them ;  he  shall  noAV  have  them  no  more. 

Next  we  learn  how  the  husbandman  deals  with 
the  fruitful  branches.  "And  every  branch  that 
beareth  fruit,  he  j)urgetli  it,  that  it  may  bring  forth 
more  fruit."  Even  the  fruit-bearing  branches  are 
not  left  to  themselves.  The  knife  is  used  to  them 
also.     But  only  the  pruning-knife.     They  are  not 

Farsbli'S.  14 


314   THE  TARABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

cut  off,  bvit  purged.  Every  one  is  treated  so,  for 
there  is  not  one  but  may  become  more  fruitful  still. 
Thus  God  deals  with  his  children,  the  true  branches. 
All  the  fruit  they  bear  already  is  of  his  grace ;  he 
will  deal  with  them  in  grace  still,  that  they  may 
bear  more  fruit.  But  how  ?  Chiefly  in  the  way  of 
affliction  and  chastisement.  These  form  his  pru- 
ning-knife.  Wisely  and  gently  does  he  use  it ;  not 
to  hurt  the  branch,  but  to  do  it  good ;  not  to  cut  it 
off,  but  to  rid  it  of  that  which  is  doing  it  harm,  and 
to  make  it  more  fruitful.  Sometimes  God's  deal- 
ings with  his  children  seem  surprising;  when  trou- 
ble after  trouble  befalls  them,  and  one  comfort  after 
another  is  taken  away.  But  this  is  only  the  gentle 
care  of  the  Husbandman,  pruning  the  branch.  The 
knife  may  be  sharp,  but  it  will  not  cut  too  deep,  for 
it  is  in  the  hand  of  perfect  wisdom  and  love.  Every 
true  Christian  experiences  this  treatment  more  or 
less.  Indeed,  chastisement  is  one  of  the  marks  of 
God's  children.  "  If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  deal- 
eth  with  you  as  with  sous ;  for  what  son  is  he  whom 
the  father  chasteneth  not?"  "We  must  through 
much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 
As  an  old  writer  says :  "  God  would  riXther  see  his 
vine  bleed,  than  see  it  barren."  Let  it  be  our  com- 
fort under  chastisement,  that  it  is  he  who  is  dealing 
with  us,  and  that  he  is  dealing  with  us  for  our  good 
and  for  our  fruitfulness. 

"Now  ye  are  clean,"  our  Lord  continues, 
"through  the  word  which  I  have  spoken  unto 
you."  It  has  been  thought  by  some  that  our  Lord 
here  alludes  to  the  traitor  Judas.     He  had  been, 


VINE  AND  BRANCHES.  315 

as  it  were,  a  blight  and  stain  upon  the  baud  of 
apostles.  That  blight  was  now  removed  by  his 
being  gone;  and  now,  as  a  body,  they  were  clean. 
But  it  seems  more  simple  and  natural,  and  more  in 
agreement  with  the  rest  of  the  parable,  to  take  the 
words  in  another  sense.  The  word  "  purgeth,"  just 
before,  and  this  word  "clean,"  have  the  same  mean- 
ing. Chastisement  is  not  the  only  way  by  which 
God  prunes  and  cleanses ;  he  does  so  also  by  his 
word.  Now  the  disciples  had  just  been  listening 
to  the  words  of  Jesus,  and  those  words  had  had  a 
deep  eflect  on  them.  Their  hearts  were  full  of 
love  to  their  Lord,  they  were  looking  to  him  in 
faith,  their  earnest  desire  was  to  do  his  will, 
and  they  were  in  a  state  of  acceptance  and  bless- 
ing. Thus  they  were  then  clean  through  the 
word  of  Christ;  he  himself  pronounced  them  so: 
"Now  ye  are  clean,"  that  is,  "Now  ye  are 
purged."  He  does  not  say  they  were  even  then 
perfect;  but  they  were  in  such  a  state  that  pur- 
ging, or  pruning  by  chastisement,  was  not  then 
needed.  Their  hearts  were  at  that  time  truly 
joined  to  him,  and  the  fruits  of  faith  and  love 
were  shown  forth. 

Thus  these  disciples  were  owned  by  our  Lord 
himself  as  living  and  fruitful  branches.  But  he 
adds:  "Abide  in  me,  and  I  in  you."  Let  this  union 
continue.  For  "  as  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of 
itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye, 
except  ye  abide  in  me."  The  fruitfuluess  of  the 
branch  depends  entirely  on  its  remaining  joined  to 
the  vine,  from  which  all  its  life  and  nourishment 


316   THE  PAKABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

comes.  The  fruitfulness  of  the  Christian  equally 
depends  on  his  being  joined  by  faith  to  Christ.  If 
any  thing  could  break  this  union,  all  fruit,  and  even 
the  very  life  of  the  soul,  would  come  to  an  end. 
And  as  surely  as  a  Christian  grows  cold  and  care- 
less, and  faith  becomes  weak,  and  the  union  be- 
tween his  soul  and  Christ  is  less  firm  and  close,  so 
surely  do  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  grow  less  in  him 
too.  The  only  way  to  fruitfulness  is  to  abide  or 
stay  in  Christ. 

Lest  the  disciples  should  not  apply  this  to  them- 
selves, our  Lord  now  says  plainly :  "  I  am  the  vine, 
ye  are  the  branches."  Let  us  receive  those  words 
as  if  spoken  to  us.  He  is  the  vine,  and'^tv,  in  one 
sense  or  another,  are  the  branches ;  for  in  name 
and  profession  at  least  we  are  so.  All  that  he  has 
said  before  therefore  concerns  us,  and  the  yet  more 
solemn  and  searching  words  that  follow  concern 
us  too. 

"  He  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same 
bringeth  forth  much  fruit;  for  without  me  ye  can 
do  nothing,"  Some  begin  well,  but  soon  drop  off. 
At  first  their  feelings  are  excited,  and  they  are  full 
of  warmth  and  zeal,  and  give  every  promise  of  much 
fruit  to  God's  glory;  but  these  hopeful  appearances 
do  not  last,  just  as  we  often  see  buds  and  blossoms 
come  to  nothing.  Why  is  this?  Perhaps  there 
never  was  real  faith ;  or  perhaps  the  young  Chris- 
tian began  in  his  own  strength,  and  did  not  know, 
or  did  not  remember,  that  without  Christ  he  could 
do  nothing. 

Those  are  remarkable  words :  "  Without  me  ye 


VINE  AND  BRANCHES.  317 

can  do  nothing."  The  meaning  is,  "  separated  from 
me,  or  apart  from  me,  ye  can  do  nothing  " — still  car- 
rying on  the  figure  of  the  vine  and  the  branches. 
Not  only  will  there  not  be  much  fruit,  unless  the 
union  with  Christ  be  maintained,  there  will  not  be 
any  at  all.  The  words  seem  to  throw  light  too  upon 
the  kind  of  fruit  that  is  meant.  "  Without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing."  The  fruit  is  what  we  do— our 
conduct,  our.  actions,  our  service,  our  life.  These 
words  therefore  do  not  mean  merely,  as  they  are 
often  sui3posed  to  mean,  that  without  Christ's  Mp 
we  can  do  nothing.  That  is  quite  true ;  but  these 
words  mean  much  more.  They  teach  us  that  cqxirt 
from  Christ,  that  is,  if  not  joined  to  him  by  faith, 
we  can  bear  no  fruit,  and  do  God  no  acceptable 
service. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  a  true  and  lasting  union 
with  him  will  cause  us  to  bear  not  fruit  only,  but 
much  fruit.  And  this  is  what  we  should  aim  at; 
because  this,  as  our  Lord  tells  us  afterwards,  is  for 
the  glory  of  God  :  "Herein  is  my  Father  glorified, 
that  ye  bear  much  fruit."  A  true  disciple  cannot 
be  satisfied  with  a  little  fruit.  •  He  is  one  who  hun- 
gers and  thirsts  after  righteousness.  He  feels  deeply 
what  he  owes  to  redeeming  love;  and  all  that  he 
can  do  in  the  service  of  his  God  and  Saviour  seems 
nothing  in  comparison  with  his  debt  of  gratitude 
and  love.  Indeed,  our  Lord  makes  it  the  mark  of 
his  disciples,  not  that  they  bear  fruit  merely,  but 
that  they  bear  much  fruit:  "so  shall  ye  be  my  dis- 
ciples." How  can  one  be  a  true  disciple  of  such  a 
Master,  who  Mill  do  him  a  little  service,  and  there 


318   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUE  LOED. 

stop  ?  How  can  one  be  really  desirous  of  living  to 
the  glory  of  God  at  all,  who  is  content  to  live  so  as 
to  promote  it  but  a  little  only  ? 

Not  only  does  the  true  disciple  desire  to  bear 
much  fruit  to  the  glory  of  God,  but  a  close  union 
with  Christ  enables  him  to  do  so.     His  sphere  may 
be  small,  and  his  lot  humble,  yet  his  light  will  shine 
brightly  before  men,  and   they  will  glorify  God. 
The  light  indeed  is  not  his,  but  Christ's,  and  the 
grace  which  appears  in  him  is  from  Christ  alone ; 
he  is  but  a  branch,  Christ  is  the  vine ;  yet  as  in  the 
natural  vine  the  branches  bear  fruit,  though  draw- 
ing all  their  nourishment  from  the  stock,  so  every 
branch  in  Christ,  even  that  which  grows  lowest, 
bears  fruit  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  more  the 
fruit  the  more  the  glory.     Many  of  Christ's  hum- 
blest disciples  are,  nevertheless,  by  his  grace,  bear- 
ing rich  fruit  to  God's  glory  in  Christian  tempers, 
and   holy  lives,  and   self-denying   works  of   love. 
Their  strength,  their  comfort,  their  growth,  their 
fruit,  are  all  drawn  from  Christ;  the  work  of  his 
Spirit  in  their  hearts,  the  effect  of  their  union  with 
him  by  faith.     Thej^Avalk  in  a  strength  not  their 
own.     They  have  an  unseen  source  from  which  they 
draw  all.     Their  life  is  a  life  of  prayer,  and  it  is  by 
this  mainly  that  their  union  with  their  Lord  is 
maintained.      They  are  not  careless  or  forgetfuL 
The  words  of  Christ  abide  in  them,  and  they  make 
full  and  happy  use  of  their  access  by  him  to  the 
throne  of  grace.     They  go  there  freely.     They  ask 
what  they  will.     Every  want,  every  fear,  every  sin 
they  take  there.     And  the  promise  is  fulfilled :  they 


VINE  AND  BRANCHES.  319 

ask,  and  it  is  done  unto  them.  Tliej  receive  out  of 
the  fulness  that  is  in  Christ. 

But  what" becomes  of  those  who  do  not  abide  in 
Christ  ?  "  If  a  man  abide  not  in  mc,  he  is  cast  forth 
as  a  branch,  and  is  ^yithered;  and  men  gather  them, 
and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  are  burned." 
Have  we  not  often  seen  such  a  sight  in  a  vineyard 
or  garden?  Wherever  the  pruner  has  been  at  work, 
the  ground  is  strewn  with  chppings ;  some  are  dead 
wood,  others  fruitless  branches  ;  all  lie  together, 
withered  or  withering,  till  one  comes  and  takes 
them  away  for  burning.  In  the  very  words  of  this 
part  of  the  parable  there  is  an  awful  likeness  be- 
tween the  figure  and  the  reality.  Ah,  in  that  outer 
darkness  that  is  to  come,  how  many  will  be  found 
who  once  seemed  to  belong  to  Christ !  They  bore 
his  name,  attended  his  ordinances,  and  perhaps  at 
one  time  gave  some  appearance  of  fruit  in  heart 
and  life.  But  they  were  not  truly  joined  to  him  by 
faith ;  they  did  not  abide  in  him ;  and  when  the 
husbandman  sought  fruit  on  them  he  found  none. 
They  were  not  all  alike,  indeed,  for  some  showed 
more  sign  of  life  than  others ;  but  they  were  all 
alike  in  being  unfruitful,  and  now  they  are  all  found 
together. 

These  are  the  words  of  truth.  The  speaker  was 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  His  words  will  come  to 
pass  with  regard  to  some  who  bear  his  name.  Look 
to  it  that  you  be  not  of  the  number.  Examine  your 
state  with  regard  to  Christ.  Best  satisfied  with 
nothing  short  of  a  living  union  with  him  by  faith, 
and  sock  the  proof  of  it  in  your  heart  and  life. 


320   THE  PAEABLES  OF  OUR  LORD. 

"So  shall  ye  be  my  disciples,"  he  said;  so,  and  so 
only.  Judge  yourselves  by  that  rule.  Is  there 
fruit  in  you?  Is  there  much  fruit?  At  least,  is 
there,  amid  many  shortcomings,  the  earnest  desire, 
and  the  daily  endeavor  and  prayer,  to  glorify  God 
by  bearing  much  fruit  ? 


